PuBLIC-NoNPRofIt-ACAdeMIC PARtNeRshIPs: A … research related to integrated FP ... • If a short...

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The Henderson Repository is a free resource of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. It is dedicated to the dissemination of nursing research, research- related, and evidence-based nursing materials. Take credit for all your work, not just books and journal articles. To learn more, visit www.nursingrepository.org Item type Poster Format Text-based Document Title Public-Non-Profit-Academic Partnerships: Reproductive Health Research in Togo Case Study Authors Baker, Helen Frances; Lerner, Natasha M. Downloaded 31-May-2018 12:32:40 Link to item http://hdl.handle.net/10755/621949

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Page 1: PuBLIC-NoNPRofIt-ACAdeMIC PARtNeRshIPs: A … research related to integrated FP ... • If a short term collaboration, ... • language barriers ...

The Henderson Repository is a free resource of the HonorSociety of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. It isdedicated to the dissemination of nursing research, research-related, and evidence-based nursing materials. Take credit for allyour work, not just books and journal articles. To learn more,visit www.nursingrepository.org

Item type Poster

Format Text-based Document

Title Public-Non-Profit-Academic Partnerships: ReproductiveHealth Research in Togo Case Study

Authors Baker, Helen Frances; Lerner, Natasha M.

Downloaded 31-May-2018 12:32:40

Link to item http://hdl.handle.net/10755/621949

Page 2: PuBLIC-NoNPRofIt-ACAdeMIC PARtNeRshIPs: A … research related to integrated FP ... • If a short term collaboration, ... • language barriers ...

Helen Frances Baker, M.s., B.s.n., r.n.nell Hodgson Woodruff school of nursing, emory University, atlanta, Georgia, Usa

natasHa M. lerner, M.P.a. evidence and Impact, engenderHealth, new York, new York, Usa

Methods

the collaborations highlighted in this presentation involve two specific research projects. the first is a project led by assaFetO, and the second is programmatic research related to integrated FP services as part of agirPF. these collaborations involve representatives from engenderHealth’s headquarters and agirPF, a doctoral student at emory University in nursing (who was concurrently a Peace corps response volunteer during her work on the project), three students from different disciplines and with different levels of education at emory University, one faculty member from emory University, one student from the University of lomé, and members of assaFetO. Funding was provided by UsaID, GeMMa, and eGHI. these projects worked on bridging the research-practice divide to conduct participatory research.

Project I. assaFetO midwives defined a project with the goal of improving the organization’s ability to provide necessary family planning services and increase participation of assaFetO members. the Peace corps response volunteer/nursing doctoral student knew of the potential to bring a diverse group of three students from emory University funded by the eGHI to togo; the emory students joined one togolese student who was funded by GeMMa and hired as an intern at agirPF; and all four students worked together with the assaFetO midwives. the organizations collaborated remotely, and in July and august 2016 the emory students worked in togo. the results of the study are forthcoming and will be used in the implementation of new services and activities by assaFetO.

Project II. the agirPF project needed to complete several research studies related to the programmatic areas in which the project was working. as a doctoral student in nursing, the Peace corps response volunteer needed to conduct research. the needs of the organization and individual were thus well aligned, and together they developed a research project focusing on the integration of FP into postabortion and postpartum care. this project fulfilled the needs of the organization to better understand the current state of such integrated services while also fulfilling the research needs of the Peace corps response volunteer–doctoral student. the study was funded by UsaID through engenderHealth. the results from this integrated FP study are forthcoming.

CoLLABoRAtoRs

this case study was undertaken by seven collaborators.

• engenderHealth, agirPF, UsaID

• Peace corps response

• emory University

• Global elimination of Maternal Mortality from abortion (GeMMa)

• emory Global Health Institute (eGHI)

• Midwifery association of togo (assaFetO)

• University of lomé

PuBLIC-NoNPRofIt-ACAdeMIC PARtNeRshIPs: A RePRoduCtIve heALth ReseARCh CAse study IN togo

ReCoMMeNdAtIoNs

scOPe OF cOllaBOratIOn

• If a short term collaboration, a specific research project with a clear and limited scope of activity and defined deliverables is essential. conversely, if the collaboration is long term, high-level, ongoing support and capacity building can be very effective activities, for example through engaging Peace corps response volunteers.

• It is important to explore unconventional areas and partners for collaboration.

InterPersOnal cOOrDInatIOn

• Frequent and open communication among partners is crucial; all partners must aim to communicate in such a way as to diminish hierarchy and encourage continual informal contact that supplements formal meetings.

• collaborative review of work fosters buy-in and ownership and must be given adequate time.

• If working with students, plan for the competing priorities of their schoolwork.

• always promote mutual respect.

lOGIstIcs

• It is important to establish logistics via an MOU first, capturing agreed-upon objectives, roles, responsibilities, timelines, and funding.

• analysis and end-of-study activities needs to be completed in a timely manner.

• If financial compensation cannot be provided to all researchers and others involved in a project, consider feasible nonmonetary ways to compensate them in order to maintain their engagement and to express gratitude for their work. Viable incentives might include networking, academic credit, and future funding or internships.

ACKNoWLedgeMeNts

the authors thank all the project’s collaborators for their support: engenderHealth/agirPF Project (eloi amegan, cyrille Guede, Macoumba thiam, andre koalaga, Martin laourou, and caitlin shannon), Peace corps response (Ismael Morou), emory University (rachel shapiro, Brianna Poovey, nicole Mccoy), GeMMa (roger rochat), eGHI (suzanne Mason),

assaFetO (Héloise D’almeida), and

University of lomé (koffi Fombo).

ASSOCIATION DE SAGES-FEMMES DU TOGO(AS.SA.FE.TO)

PuRPose

collaboration and partnership are often promoted as best practices, but rarely are they effectively implemented so as to maximize the benefits to all parties involved, fulfill genuine needs, and forge true partnerships rather than merely fostering an efficient division of work. needs that do not align, organizational desire for the ownership of work products, and too-short time frames are among the roadblocks cited to successful collaboration (Biermann, eckhardt, carlfjord, Falk, & Forsberg, 2016). a systematic review of research institution and nongovernmental organization (nGO) partnerships found that the success and sustainability of such collaborations require trust, transparency, respect, and mutuality (Olivier, Hunt, & ridde, 2016).

We want to highlight our successful public-nonprofit-academic partnership, which is working in togo, West africa, to improve systems supporting access to contraception in urban and peri-urban areas. the collaboration highlighted in this case study is taking place over an extended period, recognizes comparative advantage, and incorporates fluid information sharing and feedback so that all parties’ capacities are continuously developed. this case study contributes to the body of knowledge regarding public-nonprofit-academic

research partnerships.

ResuLts

this case study’s results can be understood as successes and challenges.

sUccesses

• two research projects in progress that will yield immediate contributions to current practices and programming

• capacity building in monitoring and evaluation and systems improvements for the agirPF project

• agirPF’s improved engagement and responsiveness to local organizations’ needs through assaFetO, a key project goal

• Faster dissemination of research results than is the norm for the field

• Improvement of research capacity for local and U.s. students who are not in typical research degree programs

• Fulfillment of research requirements for academic programs in understudied topics (reproductive health in Francophone West africa)

• Forging Peace corps, engenderHealth, and emory partnerships

• Guaranteed funding for research topics that are often hard to fund

• Promotion of nurse-led research and the employment of local nurses and midwives for data collection

• the gathering of new information for assaFetO about its client base and about why potential clients decide not to come to the clinic

cHallenGes

• Multiple Institutional review Board (IrB) and approval processes, which were time consuming and logistically complicated to navigate

• Finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for data ownership, management, and dissemination

• Disparate timelines and competing organizational priorities

• Quickly establishing strong relationships built on trust and respect

• establishing clarity regarding which partner was responsible for reviewing and approving each item in project plans and ensuring adequate agreement on and availability of timelines

• language barriers (simultaneous work in english and French)

• Breakdowns in communication at interpersonal, infrastructural, and logistical levels

• staff turnover

emory global health Institute