Vesel, Linda
Benotti, Emily
Somji, Sarah
Bellad, Roopa M
Charantimath, Umesh
Dhaded, Sangappa M
Goudar, Shivaprasad S
Karadiguddi, Chandrashekhar
Mungarwadi, Geetanjali
Vernekar, Sunil S
Kisenge, Rodrick
Manji, Karim
Salim, Nahya
Samma, Abraham
Sudfeld, Christopher R
Hoffman, Irving F
Mvalo, Tisungane
Phiri, Melda
Saidi, Friday
Tseka, Jennifer
Tsidya, Mercy
Caruso, Bethany A
Duggan, Christopher P
Israel-Ballard, Kiersten
Lee, Anne CC
Mansen, Kimberly L
Martin, Stephanie L
North, Krysten
Young, Melissa F
Fishman, Eliza
Fleming, Katelyn
Semrau, Katherine EA
Spigel, Lauren
Tuller, Danielle E
Henrich, Natalie
Funding for this research was provided by:
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260, OPP1192260)
Article History
Received: 6 November 2022
Accepted: 2 November 2023
First Online: 8 November 2023
Declarations
:
: All authors completed the ICMJE conflict of interest form and were funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for this work as part of the LIFE study. CPD was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (K24DK104676 and 2P30 DK040561). ACL was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (5K23HD091390).
: This study was approved by 11 ethics committees in India, Malawi, Tanzania, and the USA [CitationRef removed]: (1) India Health Ministry’s Screening Committee with Indian Council of Medical Research acting as its secretariat (2019–2674); (2) Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services, Government of Karnataka, which also covers investigators at Women and Children Hospital, Davangere and Chigateri General District Hospital, Davangere (NHM/SPM/04/2019–20); (3) Institutional Ethics Committee of KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research which also covers investigators at JN Medical College, Belagavi and KLES Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital & Medical Research Center, Belagavi (KAHER/IEC/2019–20/D-2760); (4) Institutional Ethics Review Board of SS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre (IERB/200/2019); (5) Institutional Ethics Committee of JJM Medical College (JJMMC/IEC-01/2019), which also covers investigators at Bapuji Child Health Institute and Research Centre, Davangere, Women and Children Hospital, Davangere and Chigateri General District Hospital, Davangere; (6) Research and Ethics Committee, Directorate of Health Services, Odisha state, which also covers investigators at City Hospital Oriya Bazar, Cuttack (155/PMU/187/17); (7) Institutional Ethical Committee, Sriram Chandra Bhanja Medical College, Cuttack (7188); (8) Malawi National Health Sciences Research Committee (NHSRC2019/Protocol19/03/2250-UNCPM 21905); (9) Tanzania National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR/HQ/R.8a/Vol.IX/3126); (10) Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (DA.282/298/01.C/); and (11) Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health (IRB10-0282), which covers investigators at Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Emory University, PATH and University of North Carolina. Written informed consent was obtained from all FGD and IDI participants.
: Not applicable.
: The LIFE study, of which this qualitative analysis is a sub-study, was co-developed by a large consortium representing 14 organizations and comprising more than 50 individuals in India, Malawi, Tanzania, and the USA. A publications committee, consisting of study principal investigators from all four countries, developed an inclusive and representative data interpretation and writing process, determination of authorship, and strategy to provide writing opportunities for early career team members. The committee utilized the ICJME criteria and defined clear principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. With 35 authors on this paper, including early career team members in all organizations, data collectors, researchers, and clinicians, we believe that we have attempted to be inclusive. Although the first and last authors are not from LMICs, this authorship order was proposed and agreed on by the publication committee and all contributions are noted in the contribution statement. At every stage of the LIFE study, findings were interpreted with LMIC partners and have been refined and iterated based on their feedback and contextual interpretations. In addition, all findings were shared with all members of the consortium to maximize their dissemination. Our funder, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, strongly encourages and financially supports the dissemination of findings in open access journals; this is a priority of our consortium.