Building partnerships to respond to HIV/AIDS: non-governmental organizations and universities.
BACKGROUND
In the second decade of the AIDS epidemic in Brazil, public sector and non-governmental organization (NGO) initiatives multiplied, fostered by state AIDS Control Programmes. A growing gap between capacity and a need for programme evaluation and the dissemination of findings from experience in the field, combined with the failure of traditional training approaches to bridge this gap adequately, inspired this non-degree research training programme at a major Brazilian university.


OBJECTIVE
To train health professionals and activists working with HIV/AIDS prevention and services to evaluate and disseminate their experiences, and to enable them to multiply this training in their organizations, working in a collaborative process with graduate students and senior researchers.


METHODS
As part of a 9-month research methods course, 52 representatives from NGO and public health services produced research protocols that were reviewed and strengthened through a formal peer review process. Eleven protocols judged to be the best received funding and close mentorship over the next 21 months for their implementation, analysis, and dissemination.


CONCLUSIONS
Participants increased their ability to master and review critically the AIDS literature, to conduct a research protocol and to disseminate the results of their studies. After completion of the 30-month process, many participants were able to present their findings at scientific conferences or publish their results in peer-reviewed scientific journals. This model of close NGO-university successful collaboration may inspire other models of research training for those in the front-lines of the fight against the epidemic.
Paiva
Vera
V
Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. veroca@usp.br
Ayres
José Ricardo
JR
Buchalla
Cassia Maria
CM
Hearst
Norman
N
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D017145:Models, Educational; D009938:Organizations; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education*; D014495:Universities