Summaries of the location, participant characteristics, broader programme (if present), format, frequency, duration and programme content area of the 20 writing and publishing interventions in the analytical sample
| Citation and/or intervention name | Location of activities | Participant characteristics and number | Was the writing and /or publishing intervention part of a broader programme or was it stand alone? if not, description of main programme | Format, frequency, duration and activities of writing and publishing intervention | Programme content area |
| PUBLICATIONS REPORTED INTERVENTIONS (Interventions that Reported Submissions and/or Publications) | |||||
| Thakurdesai et al, 201817 (eJCIndia; Electronic Journal Club India) | India | 426 members at time of publication (ongoing programme), primarily in India, mostly students and faculty. Varied age, gender, areas of interest, and geographical location. | Part of a larger programme; journal club activities help critical evaluation and writing. | Ongoing online journal club; mentored writing support; small group writing e-workshop; peer review. | Psychiatry |
| Klinkenberg et al, 201418 (Ethiopian Operational Research Initiative) | Ethiopia | 52 participants completed programme in first 2 years (2012–2014); TB programme and university staff across Ethiopia. | Part of a larger programme; main programme expanded capacity for TB research and control. | 4–6 day writing component in 15 month programme; train-the-trainer; mentored writing and editing support; peer review, individual writing practice*; post course, ongoing, mentored writing support. | TB |
| Kramer et al 2016,35 Kramer, 201827 | Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa | Attendance varied from 7 to 25 participants; mainly graduate students and researchers. | Part of a larger programme; main university-wide multi-year programme included over 70 courses, incentives† and other activities (eg, writing retreats, funding opportunities, forums, workshops). | 3-day writing retreats: small group writing workshop; mentored writing and editing support; individual writing practice*; incentives.† | Multiple topic areas |
| Ganju et al, 201836 (Knowledge Network) | India | 70 participants; early-stage researchers without publishing experience plus 40 data analysts. | Stand alone. | Two 5-day writing workshops; first workshop: structured sequenced programme; didactic lecture‡; peer-editing practice; small group writing workshop; presentation; peer review; postcourse ongoing mentored writing support; second workshop: 5-day mentored writing and editing training; total of 32 weeks of support provided. | HIV prevention programmes |
| Memiah et al, 201828 | Kenya and Tanzania | 5 cohorts of participants (n=98) included clinicians working for NGOs in Kenya and Tanzania; 83% of participants were female. | Part of a larger programme; main programme trained clinicians to design, conduct, and publish scientific research. | 3 sequential writing workshops over 12 days (7 days total on manuscript writing/ publishing); didactic lecture‡; participatory; small group writing workshop; peer review; presentations; post course ongoing mentored writing support. | HIV/AIDS |
| Mathai et al, 201929 | Kenya (University of Nairobi) | 45 trainees, 15 faculty, 9 nonacademic health workers participated over 3-year project. | Part of a larger programme; main programme strengthened mental health research capacity in Kenya. | 1.5-day writing component in 2-week programme: didactic lecture‡, mentored writing and editing support; small group writing workshop; post course, presentations; 3 years ongoing mentored writing support. | Mental health |
| Kempker et al, 201830 | Georgia, the country | 20 long-term trainees between 2004 and 2015; median age 29 years; majority (65%) were female, most (60%) employed at National Centre for Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases; most (n=18) had medical degrees. | Part of a larger programme; main programme provided didactic‡ and mentored TB-related research training; participants obtained MPH or MSCR at Emory University in Georgia in USA then transitioned to distance and in-country learning. | Length of writing component not reported; didactic lecture‡; postcourse ongoing mentored writing support; leadership practice. | TB |
| da Silva et al, 201931; Gureje et al, 201952; (PAM-D; Partnership for Mental Health Development in Africa); Supporting papers: Schneider et al, 201653; Pilowsky et al, 201654 | The hub spans Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, and S. Africa. | 35 early-career and mid-career researchers. | Part of a larger programme; main programme a regional hub to increase resources and infrastructure, including research training, for mental health interventions in LMICs. | 4-day writing component; didactic lecture‡; one-on-one mentored writing and editing support; incentives.† | Mental health |
| Fatima et al, 201932 (SORT-IT; Structured Operational Research Training Initiative in Pakistan); Supporting paper: Ramsay et al, 201445 | 3 courses in Pakistan, 1 in South Asia, 1 in Paris | 34 selectively enrolled health professionals in government, research, NGOs and academia. Some women. | Part of a larger programme; Main programme supports development of operational research skills; three modules (5–7 days each) conducted over 9 months; first and second modules focused on research skills; third module focuses on scientific writing and publication. Milestone achievements required at specific timepoints; if not met participants were terminated from programme. | 5-day writing component: didactic lectures‡; small group writing workshops; mentored writing and editing support; presentation and feedback sessions; incentives†; post-programme mentored writing and submission support. | Operational research |
| Guillerm et al, 201433; (SORT-IT; Structured Operational Research Training Initiative); Supporting paper: Bissell et al, 201237 | 8 courses were held in Paris, Hyderabad, Luxembourg, Fiji, Kathmandu, and Nairobi between 2012 −13. | 83 of 93 enrollees from LMICs completed one of 8 SORT-IT programmes; of 76 survey respondents, 43% worked in government health sector, 37% worked in NGOs, 20% were university based; over half were medical doctors and others were health staff and practitioners; male and female participants (numbers not reported). | Part of a larger programme; main programme supports development of operational research skills; three modules (5–7 days each) over 9 months; first and second modules focus on research skills; third module focuses on scientific writing and publication. Milestone achievements required at specific timepoints; if these not met participants terminated from programme. | 5-day writing component: didactic lectures‡; small group writing workshops; mentored writing and editing support; presentation and feedback sessions; incentives†; post-programme mentored writing and submission support. | Operational research |
| Zachariah et al, 201634; (SORT-IT; Structured Operational Research Training Initiative in 64 LMICs); Supporting paper: Ramsay et al, 201445 | 8 courses held in Europe, 6 in Asia, 3 in Africa, and three in Fiji between 2009 and 2014. | 236 participants from across Africa, Asia, Europe, South Pacific and South America (64 LMICs); most participants were clinicians; nearly half worked for ministry of health/public health programmes, 32% worked at NGOs; 41% were female. | Part of a larger programme; main programme supports development of operational research skills; three modules (5–7 days each) over 9 months; first and second modules focus on research skills; third module focuses on scientific writing and publication. Milestone achievements required at specific timepoints; if these not met participants terminated from programme. | 5–7 days writing component: didactic lectures‡; small group writing workshops; presentations; mentored writing and editing support; incentives†; post programme mentored writing support. | Operational research |
| Goel et al, 201819 (SORT-IT; Structured Operational Research Training Initiative adapted for Tobacco Control) | India (participants from across country). | 9 female and 5 male post graduate students and junior faculty in public health and medicine from India and Nepal. | Part of a larger programme; main aim of programme to build capacity of public health professionals in operational research with focus on tobacco control using standard data set, with goal of submission within 4 weeks of the course; adapted to use fewer resources than standard SORT-IT intervention. | 5.5-day course integrating writing and data analysis; precourse work with matched mentors; didactic lectures; small group writing workshop; presentations; individual writing practice*; one-on-one mentored writing and editing support. | Tobacco control |
| Kumar et al, 201320 (Union/MSF Operational Research Training§ adapted for Nepal); Supporting paper: Bissell et al, 201237 | Nepal | 12 male and female participants; primarily health professionals (physicians, programme managers, paramedical workers, data analysts) from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Timor Leste and Cambodia. | Part of a larger programme; main programme supports development of operational research skills; 3 modules (5 days each) over 9 months; first and second modules focus on research skills; third module focuses on scientific writing and publication; goal was manuscript submission to peer-reviewed journal within 4 weeks of completing third module. | 5-day paper writing module; adapted Union/MSF intervention to include organising and managing references and peer writing support; small group writing workshop; matched new with experienced facilitators; lecture; peer mentoring; mentored writing and editing support. | Operational research in multiple topic areas. |
| Odhiambo et al, 201721 (IORT (Intermediate Operational Research Training Programme; adapted from SORT-IT for Rwanda) | Rwanda | 9 participants (1 female, 8 males); 6 were ministry clinical staff and three were programme staff all working in health service delivery in rural districts. | Part of a larger programme; Seven 2-day sessions every 4–6 weeks over 8 months. | 2-day writing component; small group writing workshop; mentored writing and editing support; presentation and feedback sessions; individual writing practice*; post programme mentored writing support. | Operational research. |
| OTHER INTERVENTIONS (Interventions that Did Not Report Submissions and /or Publications) | |||||
| Merritt et al, 201922 (ACES; Academic Competencies Series) | Blantyre, Malawi | Postdocs and Master of Philosophy fellows in Ethiopia, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe; 12 participated in writing workshop. | Part of a larger programme; main programme focused on career development skills. | 5-day writing component, residential; didactic lecture‡, text book; peer editing practice, individual writing practice, mentored writing and editing support. | Multiple topic areas |
| Usher et al, 201523 (APEDNN; Asia Pacific Emergency and Disaster Nursing Network) | Cairns, Australia | 23 nurses (faculty, consultants, staff at ministries of health) involved in disaster management from Asia-Pacific region; some women. | Part of a larger programme; main programme enhanced technical and research skills to support management and research of disasters in Asia-Pacific region. | Length of writing component not reported; part of 3-week course; didactic lecture; peer editing practice; matched mentors; post course, ongoing mentored writing support. | Nursing disaster management |
| Atindehou et al, 201924 (MooSciTIC: A shot of science!) | Trainings were hosted in Benin | 20 lecturers and research scientists from seven academic institutions in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, DRC, Ivory Coast, Niger, Senegal, and Togo; 56% female. | Part of a larger programme; main programme strengthened capacity by ‘training the trainers’ on scientific writing, communication and integrity. | Length of writing component not reported; train-the-trainer; didactic lecture‡; small group writing workshop. | Multiple topic areas |
| Varadaraj et al, 201925; Varadaraj et al, 201655 | India and Nepal | Participants from India (n=65) and Nepal (n=30); mostly 20–39 years of age; most affiliated with medical or dental departments at universities; 70%–80% female. | Part of a larger programme; main programme used expertise of diaspora health providers and researchers to improve research interest and output in LMICs. | ½ day on writing of 2-day research seminar; reading material; didactic lecture‡; small group writing workshop; presentations. | Biomedical research |
| Harries et al, 200326 | Malawi | 25 TB officers, varying educational backgrounds (some without degrees). | Part of a larger programme; main programme increased capacity for operational research on TB. | ½-day writing component of 1 day workshop; didactic lecture; incentives†; individual writing practice*. | TB control |
| Mbuagbaw et al, 201138 | Cameroon | 15 Cameroonian university lecturers and researchers in health institutions, 12 were clinicians. | Stand alone. | 4-day writing workshop; small group writing workshop. | Clinical medicine or health systems research |
*Individual writing practice refers to protected writing time.
†Incentives include small grants, graded, stipend, awards.
‡Didactic lectures refer to courses, trainings, lectures and sessions.
§Union/MSF is the pre-cursor to the SORT-IT intervention.
DRC, Democratic Republic of the Congo; LMICs, low-income and middle-income countries; MSF, Médecins Sans Frontières; NGO, Non-governmental organisation; TB, tuberculosis.