Global health trials methodological research agenda: results from a priority setting exercise

• Published in: Current controlled trials in cardiovascular medicine Vol. 19; no. 1; p. 48
• Main Authors: Rosala-Hallas, Anna, Bhangu, Aneel, Blazeby, Jane, Bowman, Louise, Clarke, Mike, Lang, Trudie, Nasser, Mona, Siegfried, Nandi, Soares-Weiser, Karla, Sydes, Matt R, Wang, Duolao, Zhang, Junhua, Williamson, Paula R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 05.02.2018; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Clinical trials; Clinical Trials as Topic - methods; Consensus; Design; Developing Countries; Endpoint Determination; Exercise; Global Health; Health aspects; Health Priorities; Health Services Needs and Demand; Humans; Infectious diseases; Management; Multicenter Studies as Topic - methods; Needs Assessment; Priority setting; Public health; Research Design; Research methodology; Research Personnel - education; Response rates; Trials methodology; World health; United Kingdom > UK; Africa; Global health; Trials methodology; Priority setting
• ISSN: 1745-6215; 1745-6215
• DOI: 10.1186/s13063-018-2440-y

Methodological research into the design, conduct, analysis and reporting of trials is essential to optimise the process. UK specialists in the field have established a set of top priorities in aid of this research. These priorities, however, may not be reflected in the needs of similar research in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) with different healthcare provision, resources and research infrastructure. The aim of the study was to identify the top priorities for methodological research in LMICs to inform further research and ultimately to improve clinical trials in these regions. An online, two-round survey was conducted from December 2016 to April 2017 amongst researchers and methodologists working on trials in LMICs. The first round required participants to suggest between three and six topics which they felt were priorities for trial methodological research in LMICs. The second round invited participants to grade the importance of a compulsory list of topics suggested by four or more individuals, and an optional list of the remaining topics. Rounds 1 and 2 were completed by 412 and 314 participants, respectively. A wide spread of years of experience, discipline, current country of residence, origin of trials training and area of involvement in trials was reported. The topics deemed most important for methodological research were: choosing appropriate outcomes to measure and training of research staff. By presenting these top priorities we have the foundations of a global health trials methodological research agenda which we hope will foster future research in specific areas in order to increase and improve trials in LMICs.