Study Finds Power Imbalances in Global Health Collaborations Impacting Low-Resource Settings
Global health collaborations aim to address specific public health needs in low-resource settings. However, these collaborations are often impacted by power imbalances between participants. These hierarchies can limit the involvement of individuals from low-resource settings in decision-making processes and lead to outcomes that favor those with higher resources. A study conducted by investigators from Yale School of Medicine and the University of Liberia’s College of Health Services examined the experiences of collaborators in post-war, post-Ebola Liberia.
Through interviews with participants, researchers found that the power to set priorities for global health work was primarily held by those with financial resources. Plans were implemented to meet the expectations of donors rather than addressing the needs of local communities. Factors contributing to this power imbalance included the donor’s history of engagement, as well as their levels of transparency and accountability. The study emphasizes the need to address accountability in global health partnerships to promote greater equity for participants in low-resource settings.
The research team, led by Dr. Cakouros, conducted interviews with 20 collaborators who had worked on global health projects in Liberia between 2014 and 2017. The study highlights the importance of understanding power dynamics in global health collaborations and how they impact local communities’ access to healthcare services. The findings call for greater transparency and accountability in global health partnerships to ensure that decisions are made based on community needs rather than donor expectations.
To learn more about this study titled “Exploring equity in global health collaborations: a qualitative study of donor and recipient power dynamics in Liberia,” published in BMJ Global Health, visit