Physical activity research in Mexico: Can the ideals of participatory-research be upheld in HIC-LMIC partnerships?

Background: Multi-national research collaborations dedicated to addressing physical inactivity in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) offer a rich opportunity for transcultural knowledge exchange. The establishment and maintenance of authentic research collaborations across multiple countries are both challenging and rewarding.

Purpose: To equip participants with successful strategies, techniques, and culturally relevant practices for initiating and sustaining multi-national collaborations for implementation science research that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to create a globally equitable future. Content Drawing on our 20-year collaboration that includes researchers, physicians, public health practitioners, and policymakers from Canada, the United States, and Mexico, we will share lessons learned from our efforts to address physical inactivity in Mexico. Examples will illustrate the application of community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodology; the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences’ (CIOMS) International Ethical Guidelines for Health-related Research; and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Ethical and equitable approaches to avoid neocolonial practices will be explicitly highlighted.

Learning Objectives: After completing this workshop, attendees will:

1) understand how to apply CBPR principles to initiate and maintain authentic international research collaborations
2) understand how to conduct ethical research in low-resource settings
3) understand how to apply the CFIR to investigate innovations in transcultural contexts

Target Audience: Researchers seeking to establish and maintain authentic partnerships to conduct implementation science research across nations that differ in affluence and culture.

Organization and Method: Participants in this workshop will receive classroom style training and interactive demonstrations along with brainstorming activities and small group work to master skills to engage relevant stakeholders, enhancing reciprocal cultural competence, identifying collaboration strengths and weaknesses along with areas of opportunity and threats to productivity, and influencing policy. Activities will draw on applying CBPR principles, CIOMS ethical guidelines and CFIR constructs, exploring cultural myths and stereotypes, and case study examples.