Journal article
Experience of Kenyan researchers and policy-makers with knowledge translation during COVID-19: a qualitative interview study
- Abstract:
-
Objectives
Researchers at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) carried out knowledge translation (KT) activities to support policy-makers as the Kenyan Government responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. We assessed the usefulness of these activities to identify the facilitators and barriers to KT and suggest actions that facilitate KT in similar settings.
Design
The study adopted a qualitative interview study design.
Setting and participants
Researchers at KWTRP in Kenya who were involved in KT activities during the COVID-19 pandemic (n=6) were selected to participate in key informant interviews to describe their experience. In addition, the policy-makers with whom these researchers engaged were invited to participate (n=11). Data were collected from March 2021 to August 2021.
Analysis
A thematic analysis approach was adopted using a predetermined framework to develop a coding structure consisting of the core thematic areas. Any other theme that emerged in the coding process was included.
Results
Both groups reported that the KT activities increased evidence availability and accessibility, enhanced policy-makers’ motivation to use evidence, improved capacity to use research evidence and strengthened relationships. Policy-makers shared that a key facilitator of this was the knowledge products shared and the regular interaction with researchers. Both groups mentioned that a key barrier was the timeliness of generating evidence, which was exacerbated by the pandemic. They felt it was important to institutionalise KT to improve readiness to respond to public health emergencies.
Conclusion
This study provides a real-world example of the use of KT during a public health crisis. It further highlights the need to institutionalise KT in research and policy institutions in African countries to respond readily to public health emergencies.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Peer reviewed
Actions
Access Document
- Files:
-
-
(Preview, Version of record, pdf, 444.4KB, Terms of use)
-
- Publisher copy:
- 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059501
Authors
- Publisher:
- BMJ Publishing Group
- Journal:
- BMJ Open More from this journal
- Volume:
- 12
- Issue:
- 6
- Article number:
- e059501
- Publication date:
- 2022-06-01
- Acceptance date:
- 2022-05-17
- DOI:
- EISSN:
-
2044-6055
- Pmid:
-
35649617
- Language:
-
English
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
-
1261939
- Local pid:
-
pubs:1261939
- Deposit date:
-
2022-06-10
- ARK identifier:
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- Guleid et al.
- Copyright date:
- 2022
- Rights statement:
- ©2022 Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made.
- Licence:
- CC Attribution (CC BY)
If you are the owner of this record, you can report an update to it here: Report update to this record