Leveling the Research Playing Field: Decolonizing Global Health Research Through Web-Based Platforms

• Main Authors: Rajeev Seth (Author), Baldeep K Dhaliwal (Author), Emily Miller (Author), Tyler Best (Author), Alexis Sullivan (Author), Betty Thankachen (Author), Yawar Qaiyum (Author), Anita Shet (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: JMIR Publications, 2023-10-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1438-8871; 10.2196/46897
• Keywords: Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics; R858-859.7; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol 25, p e46897 (2023)

Global health research has traditionally been rooted in colonialism, with some investigators in high-income countries leading and managing research and investigators in low- and middle-income countries serving as implementing partners. The Community Health Worker-Led Intervention for Vaccine Information and Confidence (CIVIC) Project, conducted in India and led jointly by India- and US-based investigators, leveraged web-based platforms to facilitate a more horizontal, inclusive, and balanced approach to partnerships between researchers and the community. Using web-based platforms to conduct research was found to be an effective strategy to engage researchers at all levels and combat systemic barriers associated with in-person activities such as power, economic, social, and gender dynamics. Connecting online for research meetings created a more equitable environment for community members to engage meaningfully with research. Further, by conducting research through web-based platforms, we found that we were able to strengthen the diversity of participants, provide a space for more marginalized groups to speak up, and minimize logistical barriers to attendance. Harnessing web-based approaches in research provides a pathway toward opportunities to promote equity and contribute to the decolonization of global health spaces.