Impact of a comprehensive two-year research capacity intervention with sexual and reproductive health researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUND

Research training in Sub-Saharan Africa is crucial for strengthening the capacity of healthcare professionals and researchers to address specific sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges within their communities. Interventions that enhance research capacity and foster a culture of innovation within existing structures offer a practical and economical strategy capable of addressing national and sub-national SRH needs. This study evaluated an intervention to enhance reproductive health research skills to assess research competence changes among participants.

METHODS

A pre-post intervention design was employed. Pre- and post-program assessments were conducted using the Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory (CRAI)-12 scale to establish baseline and endline levels of research competence. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to analyze data. Our data interpretation is guided by the Social Cognitive Career Theory.

RESULTS

Faculty members and clinicians from Uganda and Rwanda completed the intervention and 84 had complete baseline while 77 had complete endline data. Analyses revealed significant improvements in nearly every item on the CRAI-12 scale after the research training program, including increased Self-Efficacy in Designing and Collecting Data (Factor 1); Reporting, Interpreting and Presenting (Factor 2); Conceptualizing and Collaborating (Factor 3); Setting Expectations for Research Staff (part of Factor 4); Describing the Funding Process (Part of Factor 5); and Protecting Study Participants (Factor 6) (all p = < 0.05). The only items that did not improve significantly were Confidence in Asking Staff to Leave the Project Team when Necessary (part of Factor 4) and Locating the Appropriate Grant Application Forms (part of Factor 5).We proposed a conceptual framework outlining the hypothesized pathways through which training and skill development influence research-related career planning and progression.

CONCLUSIONS

The research training intervention effectively improved participants' research competence. These findings underscore the importance of structured research training programs in enhancing research skills. Future research should focus on longitudinal assessments to explore sustained changes and the enduring impact of self-efficacy, outcome expectations (anticipations about career-related consequences), and research-related career goals on career planning and skill development.