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Journal article
Factors associated with North-South research collaboration focusing on HIV/AIDS: lessons from ClinicalTrials.gov
AIDS research and therapy, v 18(1), 54
25 Aug 2021
PMID: 34433475
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
A North-South (N-S) research collaboration is one way through which research capacity of developing countries can be strengthened. Whereas N-S collaboration in HIV/AIDS area may result in research capacity strengthening of Southern partners, it is not clear what factors are associated with this type of collaboration. The study aims to characterize N-S research collaboration focusing on HIV/AIDS and to determine factors associated with such N-S research collaborations.
Clinical trial data on HIV/AIDS-related studies conducted between 2000 and 2019 were obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov. Using these data, we characterized N-S collaborative studies focusing on HIV/AIDS and summarized them using frequencies and percentages. To determine factors associated with these studies, we used logistic regression and reported results as adjusted odds ratios with Wald 95% confidence intervals.
Of the 4,832 HIV/AIDS-related studies retrieved from the registry, less than one-quarter (n = 1133, 23%) involved a Southern institution, with 77% of these studies classified as N-S collaborations. Majority of these studies have single PI (50%), are conducted at single location (39%); have large sample sizes (41%); are federally-funded (32%) or receive funding from other sources (32%); are intervention studies (64%); and involve a mixture of male and female participants (58%) and adult participants (54%). Single PIs (as opposed to multiple PIs) were more likely to be from the North than South institution (odds ratio = 5.59, 95%CI: 4.16 - 11.57). Trend analyses showed that N-S research collaborations produced HIV/AIDS-related studies at a faster rate than S-S research collaborations. N-S collaborations involving female or children produced HIV/AIDS-related studies between 2000 and 2019 at a significantly faster rate than S-S collaborations involving females and children during the same period. Holding other factors constant, N-S collaborative research focusing on HIV/AIDS are associated with: multiple PIs as opposed to single PI, multiple institutions as opposed to a single institution, multiple locations as opposed to a single location, large number of participants as opposed to small sample sizes, and public funding as opposed to industry funding. Almost half of these studies had a Northern PI only, about one-third had a Southern PI only, and much fewer had PIs from both North and South. However, these studies were less likely to receive funding from other sources than industry funding.
HIV/AIDS-related research is increasingly becoming a more collaborative global research involving more N-S collaborations than S-S collaborations. Factors associated with N-S collaborative studies focusing on HIV/AIDS include multiple PIs, institutions, and locations; large sample sizes; publicly funded; and involve vulnerable populations such as women and children. Whereas almost half of these studies have a Northern PI only, about one-third have a Southern PI only, and much fewer have PIs from both North and South. Our results inform future design and implementation of N-S research collaborations in this area. Suggestions for improvement of ClinicalTrials.gov registry are provided.
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Details
- Title
- Factors associated with North-South research collaboration focusing on HIV/AIDS: lessons from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Creators
- Hesborn Wao - African Population and Health Research CenterYan Wang - Drexel University, Urban Health CollaborativeMelvin A Wao - United States International University AfricaJuliana A Were - The Management University of Africa (MUA), Popo Rd, Off Mombasa Road, Belleview, South C., P. O. Box 29677-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
- Publication Details
- AIDS research and therapy, v 18(1), 54
- Publisher
- Springer BMC
- Grant note
- T32MH080634 / NIH HHS T37 MD014251 / NIMHD NIH HHS T32 MH080634 / NIMH NIH HHS 1T37MD014251 / NIMHD NIH HHS
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Urban Health Collaborative
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000688538400001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85113357043
- Other Identifier
- 991021860657604721
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Infectious Diseases