TY - JOUR
T1 - Using research networks to generate trustworthy qualitative public health research findings from multiple contexts
AU - Nyirenda, Lot
AU - Kumar, Meghan Bruce
AU - Theobald, Sally
AU - Sarker, Malabika
AU - Simwinga, Musonda
AU - Kumwenda, Moses
AU - Johnson, Cheryl
AU - Hatzold, Karin
AU - Corbett, Elizabeth L.
AU - Sibanda, Euphemia
AU - Taegtmeyer, Miriam
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s).
PY - 2020/1/21
Y1 - 2020/1/21
N2 - Background: Qualitative research networks (QRNs) bring together researchers from diverse contexts working on multi-country studies. The networks may themselves form a consortium or may contribute to a wider research agenda within a consortium with colleagues from other disciplines. The purpose of a QRN is to ensure robust methods and processes that enable comparisons across contexts. Under the Self-Testing Africa (STAR) initiative and the REACHOUT project on community health systems, QRNs were established, bringing together researchers across countries to coordinate multi-country qualitative research and to ensure robust methods and processes allowing comparisons across contexts. QRNs face both practical challenges in facilitating this iterative exchange process across sites and conceptual challenges interpreting findings between contexts. This paper distils key lessons and reflections from both QRN experiences on how to conduct trustworthy qualitative research across different contexts with examples from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Indonesia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Methods: The process of generating evidence for this paper followed a thematic analysis method: Themes initially identified were refined during several rounds of discussions in an iterative process until final themes were agreed upon in a joint learning process. Results: Four guiding principles emerged from our analysis: A) explicit communication strategies that sustain dialogue and build trust and collective reflexivity; b) translation of contextually embedded concepts; c) setting parameters for contextualizing, and d) supporting empirical and conceptual generalisability. Under each guiding principle, we describe how credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability can be enhanced and share good practices to be considered by other researchers. Conclusions: Qualitative research is often context-specific with tools designed to explore local experiences and understandings. Without efforts to synthesise and systematically share findings, common understandings, experiences and lessons are missed. The logistical and conceptual challenges of qualitative research across multiple partners and contexts must be actively managed, including a shared commitment to continuous 'joint learning' by partners. Clarity and agreement on concepts and common methods and timelines at an early stage is critical to ensure alignment and focus in intercountry qualitative research and analysis processes. Building good relationships and trust among network participants enhance the quality of qualitative research findings.
AB - Background: Qualitative research networks (QRNs) bring together researchers from diverse contexts working on multi-country studies. The networks may themselves form a consortium or may contribute to a wider research agenda within a consortium with colleagues from other disciplines. The purpose of a QRN is to ensure robust methods and processes that enable comparisons across contexts. Under the Self-Testing Africa (STAR) initiative and the REACHOUT project on community health systems, QRNs were established, bringing together researchers across countries to coordinate multi-country qualitative research and to ensure robust methods and processes allowing comparisons across contexts. QRNs face both practical challenges in facilitating this iterative exchange process across sites and conceptual challenges interpreting findings between contexts. This paper distils key lessons and reflections from both QRN experiences on how to conduct trustworthy qualitative research across different contexts with examples from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Indonesia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Methods: The process of generating evidence for this paper followed a thematic analysis method: Themes initially identified were refined during several rounds of discussions in an iterative process until final themes were agreed upon in a joint learning process. Results: Four guiding principles emerged from our analysis: A) explicit communication strategies that sustain dialogue and build trust and collective reflexivity; b) translation of contextually embedded concepts; c) setting parameters for contextualizing, and d) supporting empirical and conceptual generalisability. Under each guiding principle, we describe how credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability can be enhanced and share good practices to be considered by other researchers. Conclusions: Qualitative research is often context-specific with tools designed to explore local experiences and understandings. Without efforts to synthesise and systematically share findings, common understandings, experiences and lessons are missed. The logistical and conceptual challenges of qualitative research across multiple partners and contexts must be actively managed, including a shared commitment to continuous 'joint learning' by partners. Clarity and agreement on concepts and common methods and timelines at an early stage is critical to ensure alignment and focus in intercountry qualitative research and analysis processes. Building good relationships and trust among network participants enhance the quality of qualitative research findings.
KW - Generalisable research
KW - Qualitative research
KW - Research good practices
KW - Research guiding principles
KW - Research networks
KW - Trustworthiness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85078250564&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12874-019-0895-5
DO - 10.1186/s12874-019-0895-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 31964333
AN - SCOPUS:85078250564
SN - 1471-2288
VL - 20
JO - BMC Medical Research Methodology
JF - BMC Medical Research Methodology
IS - 1
M1 - 13
ER -