Global research priorities for COVID-19 in maternal, reproductive and child health: Results of an international survey
Journal
PLOS ONE
ISSN
1932-6203
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Melanie Etti
Jackeline Alger
Robin Saggers
Tanusha Ramdin
Margit Endler
Kristina Gemzell-Danielsson
Tobias Alfvén
Yusuf Ahmed
Allison Callejas
Deborah Eskenazi
Asma Khalil
Kirsty Le Doare
Type
Resource Types::text::journal::journal article
URL Institutional Repository
Abstract
<jats:sec id="sec001">
<jats:title>Background</jats:title>
<jats:p>The World Health Organization’s “<jats:italic>Coordinated Global Research Roadmap</jats:italic>: <jats:italic>2019 Novel Coronavirus</jats:italic>” outlined the need for research that focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women and children. More than one year after the first reported case significant knowledge gaps remain, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach. To address this need, the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Working Group (MNCH WG) of the COVID-19 Clinical Research Coalition conducted an international survey to identify global research priorities for COVID-19 in maternal, reproductive and child health.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec002">
<jats:title>Method</jats:title>
<jats:p>This project was undertaken using a modified Delphi method. An electronic questionnaire was disseminated to clinicians and researchers in three different languages (English, French and Spanish) via MNCH WG affiliated networks. Respondents were asked to select the five most urgent research priorities among a list of 17 identified by the MNCH WG. Analysis of questionnaire data was undertaken to identify key similarities and differences among respondents according to questionnaire language, location and specialty. Following elimination of the seven lowest ranking priorities, the questionnaire was recirculated to the original pool of respondents. Thematic analysis of final questionnaire data was undertaken by the MNCH WG from which four priority research themes emerged.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec003">
<jats:title>Results</jats:title>
<jats:p>Questionnaire 1 was completed by 225 respondents from 29 countries. Questionnaire 2 was returned by 49 respondents. The four priority research themes which emerged from the analysis were 1) access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) the direct and 3) indirect effects of COVID-19 on pregnant and breastfeeding women and children and 4) the transmission of COVID-19 and protection from infection.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec004">
<jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title>
<jats:p>The results of these questionnaires indicated a high level of concordance among continents and specialties regarding priority research themes. This prioritized list of research uncertainties, developed to specifically highlight the most urgent clinical needs as perceived by healthcare professionals and researchers, could help funding organizations and researchers to answer the most pressing questions for clinicians and public health professionals during the pandemic. It is hoped that these identified priority research themes can help focus the discussion regarding the allocation of limited resources to enhance COVID-19 research in MNCH globally.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:title>Background</jats:title>
<jats:p>The World Health Organization’s “<jats:italic>Coordinated Global Research Roadmap</jats:italic>: <jats:italic>2019 Novel Coronavirus</jats:italic>” outlined the need for research that focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women and children. More than one year after the first reported case significant knowledge gaps remain, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach. To address this need, the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Working Group (MNCH WG) of the COVID-19 Clinical Research Coalition conducted an international survey to identify global research priorities for COVID-19 in maternal, reproductive and child health.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec002">
<jats:title>Method</jats:title>
<jats:p>This project was undertaken using a modified Delphi method. An electronic questionnaire was disseminated to clinicians and researchers in three different languages (English, French and Spanish) via MNCH WG affiliated networks. Respondents were asked to select the five most urgent research priorities among a list of 17 identified by the MNCH WG. Analysis of questionnaire data was undertaken to identify key similarities and differences among respondents according to questionnaire language, location and specialty. Following elimination of the seven lowest ranking priorities, the questionnaire was recirculated to the original pool of respondents. Thematic analysis of final questionnaire data was undertaken by the MNCH WG from which four priority research themes emerged.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec003">
<jats:title>Results</jats:title>
<jats:p>Questionnaire 1 was completed by 225 respondents from 29 countries. Questionnaire 2 was returned by 49 respondents. The four priority research themes which emerged from the analysis were 1) access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) the direct and 3) indirect effects of COVID-19 on pregnant and breastfeeding women and children and 4) the transmission of COVID-19 and protection from infection.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
<jats:sec id="sec004">
<jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title>
<jats:p>The results of these questionnaires indicated a high level of concordance among continents and specialties regarding priority research themes. This prioritized list of research uncertainties, developed to specifically highlight the most urgent clinical needs as perceived by healthcare professionals and researchers, could help funding organizations and researchers to answer the most pressing questions for clinicians and public health professionals during the pandemic. It is hoped that these identified priority research themes can help focus the discussion regarding the allocation of limited resources to enhance COVID-19 research in MNCH globally.</jats:p>
</jats:sec>
Cite this document
Etti, M., Alger, J., Salas, S. P., Saggers, R., Ramdin, T., Endler, M., Gemzell-Danielsson, K., Alfvén, T., Ahmed, Y., Callejas, A., Eskenazi, D., Khalil, A., Le Doare, K., & On behalf of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Working Group of the COVID-19 Clinical Research Coalition. (2021). Global research priorities for COVID-19 in maternal, reproductive and child health: Results of an international survey. PLOS ONE, 16(9), e0257516. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257516
Subjects
pregnant-women
;
africa
;
adult
;
child
;
child health
;
child, preschool
;
covid-19
;
female
;
humans
;
infant
;
infant, newborn
;
maternal health
;
pandemics
;
pregnancy
;
reproductive health
;
sars-cov-2
;
article
;
breast feeding
;
child health
;
clinician
;
cohort analysis
;
coronavirus disease 2019
;
data analysis
;
delphi study
;
english (language)
;
french (language)
;
health care access
;
human
;
infection prevention
;
maternal welfare
;
pandemic
;
pregnant woman
;
questionnaire
;
reproductive health
;
research priority
;
scientist
;
spanish (language)
;
thematic analysis
;
virus transmission
;
adult
;
child
;
epidemiology
;
female
;
infant
;
newborn
;
pandemic
;
pregnancy
;
preschool child