PMID- 35478077 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20220429 LR - 20220716 IS - 2397-0642 (Electronic) IS - 2397-0642 (Linking) VI - 7 IP - 1 DP - 2022 Apr 28 TI - Perceived roles, benefits and barriers of virtual global health partnership initiatives: a cross-sectional exploratory study. PG - 11 LID - 10.1186/s41256-022-00244-4 [doi] LID - 11 AB - BACKGROUND: Virtual global health partnership initiatives (VGHPIs) evolved rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure partnership continuity. However the current landscape for VGHPI use and preference is unknown. This study aimed to increase understanding of GH partners' perspectives on VGHPIs. METHODS: From 15 October to 30 November 2020, An online, international survey was conducted using snowball sampling to document pandemic-related changes in partnership activities, preferences for VGHPIs, and perceived acceptability and barriers. The survey underwent iterative development within a diverse author group, representing academic and clinical institutions, and the non-profit sector. Participants from their professional global health networks were invited, including focal points for global health partnerships while excluding trainees and respondents from the European Economic Area. Analysis stratified responses by country income classification and partnership type. Authors used descriptive statistics to characterize responses, defining statistical significance as alpha = 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 128 respondents described 219 partnerships. 152/219 (69%) partnerships were transnational, 157/219 (72%) were of > 5 years duration, and 127/219 (60%) included bidirectional site visits. High-income country (HIC) partners sent significantly more learners to low- to middle-income country (LMIC) partner sites (p < 0.01). Participants commented on pandemic-related disruptions affecting 217/219 (99%) partnerships; 195/217 (90%) were disruption to activities; 122/217 (56%) to communication; 73/217 (34%) to access to professional support; and 72/217 (33%) to funding. Respondents indicated that VGHPIs would be important to 206/219 (94%) of their partnerships moving forward. There were overall differences in resource availability, technological capacity, and VGHPI preferences between LMIC and HIC respondents, with a statistically significant difference in VGHPI acceptability (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between groups regarding VGHPIs' perceived barriers. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic disrupted essential partnership elements, compounding differences between LMIC and HIC partners in their resources and preferences for partnership activities. VGHPIs have the potential to bridge new and existing gaps and maximize gains, bi-directionality, and equity in partnerships during and after COVID-19. CI - (c) 2022. The Author(s). FAU - Umphrey, Lisa AU - Umphrey L AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-9502-1087 AD - Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13123 E 16th Ave, B302, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. Lisa.umphrey@childrenscolorado.org. AD - Center for Global Health, Colorado School of Public Health, 13199 E Montview Blvd, Ste 310, A090, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. Lisa.umphrey@childrenscolorado.org. FAU - Paasi, George AU - Paasi G AD - Mbale Clinical Research Institute, Plot 29, 33 Pallisa, Mbale, Uganda. FAU - Windsor, William AU - Windsor W AD - Center for Global Health, Colorado School of Public Health, 13199 E Montview Blvd, Ste 310, A090, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. FAU - Abongo, Grace AU - Abongo G AD - Mbale Clinical Research Institute, Plot 29, 33 Pallisa, Mbale, Uganda. FAU - Evert, Jessica AU - Evert J AD - Child Family Health International, 11135 San Pablo Ave #929, El Cerrito, CA, 94530, USA. FAU - Haq, Heather AU - Haq H AD - Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. FAU - Keating, Elizabeth M AU - Keating EM AD - Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA. FAU - Lam, Suet Kam AU - Lam SK AD - Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, EC-10 Cleveland Clinic, 9501 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA. FAU - McHenry, Megan S AU - McHenry MS AD - Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 340 W 10th St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA. FAU - Ndila, Carolyne AU - Ndila C AD - Mbale Clinical Research Institute, Plot 29, 33 Pallisa, Mbale, Uganda. FAU - Nwobu, Charles AU - Nwobu C AD - Child Family Health International, 11135 San Pablo Ave #929, El Cerrito, CA, 94530, USA. AD - Child Family Health International, Accra, Ghana. FAU - Rule, Amy AU - Rule A AD - Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA. FAU - Tam, Reena P AU - Tam RP AD - Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA. FAU - Olson, Daniel AU - Olson D AD - Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13123 E 16th Ave, B302, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. AD - Center for Global Health, Colorado School of Public Health, 13199 E Montview Blvd, Ste 310, A090, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. FAU - Olupot-Olupot, Peter AU - Olupot-Olupot P AD - Mbale Clinical Research Institute, Plot 29, 33 Pallisa, Mbale, Uganda. AD - Busitema University, P.O. Box 1460, Mbale, Uganda. LA - eng PT - Journal Article PT - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't DEP - 20220428 PL - England TA - Glob Health Res Policy JT - Global health research and policy JID - 101705789 SB - IM MH - *COVID-19/epidemiology/prevention & control MH - Cross-Sectional Studies MH - *Global Health MH - Humans MH - International Cooperation MH - Pandemics PMC - PMC9046069 OTO - NOTNLM OT - Global health OT - Pandemic OT - Partnership OT - Virtual COIS- The authors declare that they have no competing interests. EDAT- 2022/04/29 06:00 MHDA- 2022/04/30 06:00 PMCR- 2022/04/28 CRDT- 2022/04/28 05:42 PHST- 2021/10/22 00:00 [received] PHST- 2022/03/27 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2022/04/28 05:42 [entrez] PHST- 2022/04/29 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2022/04/30 06:00 [medline] PHST- 2022/04/28 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - 10.1186/s41256-022-00244-4 [pii] AID - 244 [pii] AID - 10.1186/s41256-022-00244-4 [doi] PST - epublish SO - Glob Health Res Policy. 2022 Apr 28;7(1):11. doi: 10.1186/s41256-022-00244-4.