Building research capacity within cardiovascular disease prevention and management in low- and middle-income countries: A collaboration of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Lancet Commission on Hypertension Group, Resolve to Save Live

Locally led health research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is critical to overcome global health challenges. Local researchers are knowledgeable about health problems and understand the cultural, social, economic, and political contexts that influence patterns of disease and the effectiveness of interventions. The impact of locally led research studies and their potential contribution to the literature cannot be overstated; yet, health research capacity in LMICs remains limited. Most health researchers from low-resource settings face many challenges beyond those of researchers in well-resourced settings. Barriers for potential investigators range from lack of funding and mentorship to inadequate access to scientific literature, limited institutional support, slow Internet speed, and limited English language proficiency.