Model for developing context-sensitive responses to vulnerability in research

Managing ethical dilemmas faced by frontline research staff in Kenya

Bibliographic Data

ID21881605
AuthorsSassy Molyneux (0000-0001-9522-416X, Kenya Medical Research Institute, corresponding author), Priya Sukhtankar (0000-0002-3078-469X, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), Johnstone Thitiri (0000-0002-5901-6651, Kenya Medical Research Institute), Rita Wanjuki Njeru (0000-0001-6022-6915, University of Oxford), Rita Njeru (University of Oxford), Kelly W Muraya (0000-0003-2696-3713, Kenya Medical Research Institute), Kui Muraya (KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme), Gladys Sanga (0000-0002-8303-1624, Kenya Medical Research Institute), JL Walson (0000-0003-4836-720X, University of Washington), James A Berkley (0000-0002-1236-849X, Kenya Medical Research Institute), James Berkley (KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme), Maureen Kelley (0000-0001-8230-5315, University of Oxford), Vicki Marsh (0000-0002-5178-4250, Kenya Medical Research Institute)
Year2021
Volume6
Issue7
Pagese004937
Publication date2021-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBMJ Global Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908
PublisherBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/bmjgh-2021-004937
PMID34244204
OpenAlexW3180846682
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited55

Health research in low-resource settings often involves individuals and populations defined as ‘vulnerable’. There is growing attention in the literature to the ethical dilemmas that frontline research staff face while conducting such research. However, there is little documented as to how research staff might support one another in identifying and handling these dilemmas in different contexts. Over the course of conducting empirical ethics research embedded in the Childhood Acute Illness & Nutrition Network, we developed an approach to examine and respond to the ethical issues and dilemmas faced by the study teams, particularly frontline staff. In this paper we describe the specific tools and approach we developed, which centred on regular cross-team ethics reflection sessions, and share lessons learnt. We suggest that all studies involving potentially vulnerable participants should incorporate activities and processes to support frontline staff in identifying, reflecting on and responding to ethical dilemmas, throughout studies. We outline the resources needed to do this and share piloted tools for further adaptation and evaluation. Such initiatives should complement and feed into—and certainly not in any way replace or substitute for—strong institutional ethics review, safeguarding and health and safety policies and processes, as well broader staff training and career support initiatives

Engineering ethics · Political science · Public relations · Research ethics · Safeguarding · Ethics in Clinical Research · Global Health and Surgery · Health and Conflict Studies · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology