Methods for Global Health Collaboration on Cardiovascular Disease: Vihiga 1.

Background: Partnership building and understanding of context that addresses global health concerns is essential in global health research. However, limited knowledge is available on the practical experiences of building such relationships. Objectives: The aim of this study was to provide a detailed description of the processes involved in establishing international collaboration, gain community involvement and cooperation with gatekeepers, and study populations of rural village areas in Western Kenya. Results: Because of the limited information available in the published literature about the extremely important practical considerations, our experiences on the logistical aspects of planning and implementing global health research projects are presented. Conclusion: Understanding the local collaborators and their communities and allocating adequate resources in time and money during the planning phase is paramount in ensuring the successful completion of global health research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]