During and After COVID-19: The Roles and Perceived Benefits of Virtual Initiatives in Building Resilient Global Health Partnerships

Sunday, October 10, 2021

9:46 AM – 9:52 AM CDT

Background: Global Health Partnerships (GHPs) represent collaborative efforts towards training, research, and capacity building. Virtual GHP initiatives (VGHPIs) evolved to ensure GHP continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the current VGHPI landscape is unknown. This study aimed to increase understanding of the existing GHPs’ perspectives on VGHPIs to inform future approaches for re-organization and re-prioritization of GH activities.

Methods: From 15 October to 30 November 2020, authors conducted an online, international survey using snowball sampling to assess pandemic-related changes in activities and document perceived acceptability and barriers to VGHPIs. Analysis stratified responses by country income classification and GHP type. The authors described categorical and continuous data using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were used to analyze categorical variables, with alpha set at 0.05.

Results: A total of 128 respondents described 219 GHPs, with 82/128 (64%) responding to >1 GHP. Most GHPs (152/219, 69%) were transnational, of >5 years duration (157/219, 72%) and with bidirectional site visits (127/219, 60%); with HIC partners sending significantly more learners to LMIC partner sites (P=0.0098). Within GHPs, respondents reported the pandemic was a significant disruptor to communication (122/219, 56%), funding (71/219, 32%), activities (195/219, 89%), and access to professional support (73/219, 33%). While 84/219 (38%) of GHPs described VGHPIs prior to the pandemic, respondents indicated that VGHPIs would be important to the majority (206/219, 94%) of GHPs moving forward. Available resources for VGHPIs were significantly different between LMIC and HIC respondents, as were their preference for VGHPIs, technological capacity, and acceptability of VGHPIs (P <0.0001). There was no significant difference between groups regarding VGHPIs’ perceived barriers.

Conclusion: The pandemic disrupted many essential GHP elements, compounding on differences in the resources and preferences for VGHPIs between LMIC and HIC. VGHPIs have the potential to bridge existing gaps and maximize gains, bi-directionality, and equity of GHPs during and after COVID-19.

Presenting Author(s)

Lisa Umphrey, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
University of Colorado
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Aurora, Colorado
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed

Senior Author(s)

DO
Daniel Olson, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
University of Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed

Co-Author(s)

Megan S. McHenry, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Indiana University
Indianaplis, Indiana
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
Charles Chineme Nwobu, MD, MPH
Country Director
Child and Family Health International
Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
RT
Reena Tam, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed

Senior Author(s)

PO
Peter Olupot-Olupot, MBChB, MPH, PhD, FUNAS
Professor
Mbale Clinical Research Institute
Mbale, Mbale, Uganda
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed

Co-Author(s)

GP
George Paasi, MBChB
Clinical Trials Medical Officer
Mbale Clinical Research Institute
Mbale, Mbale, Uganda
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
CN
Carolyne Ndila, PhD
Epidemiologist
Mbale Clinical Research Institute
Mbale, Mbale, Uganda
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
GA
Grace Abongo, na
Data Manager
Mbale Clinical Research Institute
Mbale, Mbale, Uganda
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
William Windsor, MLS(ASCP), MPH
Professional Research Assistant
University of Colorado
Denver, Colorado
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
EK
Elizabeth Keating, MD, MSPH
Assistant Professor
University of Utah, Division of Emergency medicine
Salt Lake City, Utah
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
JE
Jessica Evert, MD
Executive Director
Child and Family Health International
El Cerrito, California
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
SL
Suet Kam Lam, MD, MPH, MS
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Lakewood, Ohio
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
AR
Amy Rule, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Perinatal Institute and Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Cincinnati, Ohio
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed
Heather Haq, MD MHS
Assistant Professor
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas
Disclosure: No Financial Relationships Disclosed