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What should community organisations consider when deciding to partner with researchers? A critical reflection on the Zilla Budakattu Girijana Abhivrudhhi Sangha experience in Karnataka, India
Pratt, Bridget Seshadri, Tanya Srinivas, Prashanth N.
Pratt, Bridget
Seshadri, Tanya
Srinivas, Prashanth N.
Abstract
Background
Community organisations and community members are increasingly being involved in health research projects worldwide as part of the engagement movement. Achieving deeper forms of community engagement like partnership demands that decision-making power be shared with community partners. However, how can community partners assess if meaningful engagement and shared decision-making will be possible when approached by prospective research partners? In this paper, we explore how community organisations decide to join health research projects when approached by health researchers.
Methods
Case study research was undertaken on a health systems research project in Karnataka, India called Participation for Local Action, which was carried out by local researchers in partnership with the Zilla Budakattu Girijana Abhivrudhhi Sangha, a community development organisation. In-depth interviews were conducted with the researchers, Sangha leaders and field investigators from their community.
Results
Thematic analysis identified two main themes – ‘context’ and ‘deciding to engage’. The Sangha’s experience offers lessons to other community organisations that can help them when deciding to engage with researchers in terms of what features to look for in research partners and in proposed research projects, what requests to make of prospective research partners, and what sorts of outcomes or partnership agreements to accept. These lessons may be especially applicable in contexts where relationships of trust already exist between partners and where they have the skills to lead data collection and analysis.
Conclusions
We hope that this guidance will help empower community organisations to select good research partners and promote more equitable partnerships between community partners and academic researchers.
Keywords
community organisation, ethics, power, engagement, partnership, collaboration, health research, health systems research
Date
2020
Type
Journal article
Journal
Health Research Policy and Systems
Book
Volume
18
Issue
Page Range
1-11
Article Number
Article 101
ACU Department
Queensland Bioethics Centre
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access
Open