New work from a team led by UCRH researchers has been published in BMJ Global Health 2024. They discussed the quality of an evaluation of a research collaboration and found that, while not always comfortable, reflexive evaluation practice can generate insights for improvement.
The work is outlined in journal publication called Reflecting on the quality of a methodologically pluralist evaluation of a large-scale Indigenous health research collaboration in Australia. The article gives insights into how other researchers and evaluators working with Indigenous communities to improve health outcomes can use the same process to better advance ethical and quality research.
The publication notes that while Indigenous communities worldwide want research and policies affecting them to reflect their values and perspectives, looking back at research to evaluate it often sees an Indigenous viewpoint missed in published work.
Researchers evaluated their own Indigenous health research collaboration through sharing stories and perspectives. They had discussions with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous team members, comparing ideas and insights. What they found was that:
- Evaluation mostly followed principles embedded in tools like a Quality Appraisal Tool but needed ongoing assessment.
- Adaptability and responsiveness to emerging issues was a strength of evaluation but that more Indigenous leadership and involvement in evaluation is needed.
Their conclusion was that while reflective evaluation isn’t always easy, it helps improve research quality. By working together, Indigenous and non-Indigenous colleagues can create better research in Indigenous contexts.
