Addressing power imbalances in global health: Pre-Publication Support Services (PREPSS) for authors in low-income and middle-income countries

Abstract

The contextual knowledge and local expertise that researchers from low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) contribute to studies in these settings enrich the research process and subsequent publications. However, health researchers from LMICs are under-represented in the scientific literature. Distally, power imbalances between LMICs and high-income countries, which provide funding and set priorities for research in LMICs, create structural inequities that inhibit these authors from publishing. More proximally, researchers from LMICs often lack formal training in research project management and in publishing peer-reviewed research. Though academic journals may value research from LMICs conducted by local researchers, they have limited time and financial resources to support writing, causing them to reject manuscripts with promising results if they lack development. Pre-Publication Support Service (PREPSS) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that works to meet this need. PREPSS provides onsite training, peer-review and copy editing services to researchers in LMICs who wish to publish their health research in peer-reviewed journals. Authors are not charged for these services. After receiving PREPSS services, authors submit their manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal. The PREPSS model is one of many interventions necessary to restructure global health research to better support health researchers in LMICs and reduce current power imbalances.

Characterization of immunization secondary analyses using demographic and health surveys (DHS) and multiple indicator cluster surveys (MICS), 2006–2018

“…Specific immunization was defined as immunization of one type of vaccine immunization managers, these analyses need to be timely and be available to them. Even though DHS and MICS are only conducted in LMICs, most analyses are led by organization outside these countries; the underrepresentation of health researchers from LMICs in the scientific literature has been recently highlighted [135] and the PREPSS initiative has been born to support researchers from LMICs publish in the peer-reviewed international journals [136]. The median time delay between survey and secondary analysis publication was over 5 years.…”

Not enough traction: Barriers that aspiring researchers from low- and middle-income countries face in global health research

“…This is reflected across grant applications, manuscripts preparation and oral presentations, which are required to advance their careers. 6 LMICs academic institutions should sensitize their governments on the importance of allocating funding to train future researchers with a full array of research skills such as proficiency in manuscript writing and copy editing. Academic institutions should work with research organizations and various government ministries to place their students for research internships to hone these skills.…”

“…editors need to take extra steps to encourage promising local researchers to improve their writing skills. Helpful interventions might include programs like the Pre-Publication Support Service, a non-profit initiative run by the University of Michigan, 6 which can be replicated and extended to young writers seeking to publish in first-rank peer-reviewed journals.…”

Authorship Patterns in Cancer Genomics Publications Across Africa

“…These inhibit African scientists, including citizen scientists, from authorship recognition, publishing, or focusing the research on the health needs of African populations. 3 , 4 …”