Table 2 Summary of TIDieR items and data sources

1: Name

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CEBHA + IKT approach & site-specific IKT strategies

2: Why? Rationale, theory and goals

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CEBHA + aims to produce contextually relevant research and to enhance the use and uptake of high quality evidence into public health decision-making through continuous engagement with stakeholders. A programme theory was developed for this approach

3 & 4: What pro- cesses, activities and materials were used?

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Intervention planning included the development of the CEBHA + IKT approach and its subsequent operationalisation through the development of five site-specific IKT strategies. Implementation of IKT strategies included interacting with decision-makers throughout the research project on a range of occasions. Training material included guidance for researchers on stakeholder engagement and IKT, templates for stakeholder analysis and IKT strategies. Throughout the project period, reports and presentations, publications, issue and policy briefs were materials used to communicate with stakeholders about project progress and results

5: Who undertook IKT?

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All CEBHA + researchers, PIs and Co-PIs participated in IKT activities. IKT expertise across the consortium was initially scant but was subsequently built through training and forming a community of practice on IKT

6: How? (mode of delivery)

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IKT activities included face-to-face interactions including workshops, briefings, meetings, conferences; phone, email and social media interactions as well as virtual meetings and webinars

7: Where was IKT implemented? (context)

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Most IKT activities took place in the capital and major cities of the African CEBHA + countries. Infrastructure both at the level of CEBHA + institutions as in the broader local context influenced IKT activities. Researchers were able to draw on many pre-existing contacts as well as formal and informal connections between decision-makers and their institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted planned IKT activities and led to other, typically virtual, engagements, related to the pandemic response

8: When and how much?

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With the CEBHA + IKT approach launched in 2019, IKT activities were initiated at different time points (2017–2019), often before a formal IKT strategy was finalised. The frequency of IKT activities depended on stakeholder preferences and planning as detailed in the IKT strategies as well as contextual circumstances for more ad hoc interactions

9: Tailoring of IKT strategies

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All IKT strategies underwent tailoring that was (i) stakeholder-related, (ii) project-related, or (iii) related to macro-level changes, in particular with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic

10: Modifications of the IKT approach

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The IKT approach underwent modification over the course of the project, with the three main modifications being (i) ad hoc engagements complementing planned engagements, (ii) an extension of the understanding of IKT partners in CEBHA + to non-decision-makers, and (iii) a modification of the monitoring processes to be more feasible

11: How well was the IKT approach implemented? (planned)

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Fidelity and adherence to the local IKT strategies was planned to be captured during monitoring and IKT strategy updates. Fidelity and adherence to the overall, systematic IKT approach was examined in the IKT evaluation

12: How well was the IKT approach implemented? (actual)

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Continuous stakeholder engagement was implemented at all five CEBHA + sites, in particular at the early project phases of defining the research question and methods and requesting research approval from relevant authorities as well as during data interpretation and dissemination. Actual fidelity to the plans varied across sites. Adaptation to changing circumstances allowed for a stronger tailored approach. For instance, many ad hoc engagements occurred linked to the COVID-19 pandemic context. Fidelity to formal monitoring aspects of the IKT approach was less strong