Guidelines for international collaborative research

As the global village becomes a reality, there is an increasing need to conduct international collaborative studies in family practice. A workshop at the WONCA meeting in Hong Kong used international attendees to produce a set of guidelines for international research.

At the workshop four completed international projects, each using a different strategy, were presented so that common themes might become apparent. The themes were then discussed and guidelines emerged from the process.

Seven guidelines emerged for consideration before embarking on an international collaborative research project in family medicine. The guidelines deal with the characteristics of the research question and the importance of communication. The need for simple, brief methods of data collection, funding and pilot testing were identified.

The question must be relevant to all participants to maintain interest and measurement tools must be validated to understand the impact of cultural differences in understanding.