Setting up a peer review process for community-based organizations: conflicts and challenges.
BACKGROUND
The authors are conducting a national demonstration project in Germany to develop quality assurance structures and methods for community-based HIV prevention.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to provide outside input to AIDS service organizations (ASOs) on their prevention work while improving the local discourse on the quality of HIV prevention.


METHODS
A voluntary peer review process with community workers, funders, community members, and researchers as reviewers.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the idea of a peer review process is interesting for many ASOs, it has been difficult finding organizations to participate in the process. Issues of trust regarding the intentions of the reviewers and concerns about publicizing the results have prevented implementation.


CONCLUSIONS
Peer review is a promising idea for the further development of quality assurance in the HIV prevention of German ASOs. More time needs to be invested in implementing the process to build trust on all sides.
Wright
Michael T
MT
Research Group Public Health, Social Science Research Center Berlin.
Lemmen
Karl
K
Block
Martina
M
von Unger
Hella
H
D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000379:methods*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D005858:Germany; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D010380:Peer Review / Q000379:methods*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care