Conference abstract
Training needs of research ethics committee members in Cameroon regarding research ethics evaluation
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2023:18(118).03
Oct 2023.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2023.18.118.2227
Archived on: 03 Oct 2023
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Research ethics committee, training needs, Cameroon
Oral presentation
Training needs of research ethics committee members in Cameroon regarding research ethics evaluation
Ingrid Marcelle Koutio Douanla1,&, Paul Nyibio Ntsekendio1, Ketina Hirma Tchio-Nighie1, Frank Forex Kiadjieu Dieumo1, Felicité Tabala Naah2, Fernando Kemta Lekpa3, Cavin Epie Bekolo3, Rogacien Kana Dongmo2, André Pascal Goura1, Charlette Nangue1, Jérôme Ateudjieu1,2,3
1Meilleur Accès aux Soins de Santé (M.A. SANTE), Yaounde, Cameroun, 2Division of Health Operations Research, Cameroon Ministry of Public Health, Yaounde, Cameroon, 3Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon
&Corresponding author
Introduction: the capacity of Research Ethics Committee (RECs) members to review research protocol is one of the raised concerns in ensuring a minimum standard of research ethics evaluation. The purpose of this study was to assess the training needs of members of RECs in Cameroon.
Methods: it was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in all regions of Cameroon in 2020, assessing the training needs of RECs members in the ethical evaluation of health research protocols. Data were collected from all eligible RECs members using an electronic questionnaire. Data were analyzed to assess the proportion of respondents trained for research ethics topics and identify their training topic priorities.
Results: of the 79 members reached, 64 (81.01%) accepted to participate. The results showed that 21 (32.81%) REC members were not trained in research ethics evaluation including 68.75% not exposed to training on evaluating ethical issues during clinical trials. A fraction of respondents were unaware of national regulations (25%) and international guidelines like the Helsinki Declaration (32.81%). Participants identified and ranked their priorities regarding training needs with priorities in Cameroon texts regulating research, evaluation procedures of protocols, and organization of research in Cameroon. Workshops and e-learning were perceived as the main accessible sources of training.
Conclusion: the coverage of training of ethics committee members was relatively low on various topics. These gaps and the needs perceived by participants should be considered when setting up training programs for RECs members on ethical evaluation in Cameroon.
Training needs of research ethics committee members in Cameroon regarding research ethics evaluation
Ingrid Marcelle Koutio Douanla1,&, Paul Nyibio Ntsekendio1, Ketina Hirma Tchio-Nighie1, Frank Forex Kiadjieu Dieumo1, Felicité Tabala Naah2, Fernando Kemta Lekpa3, Cavin Epie Bekolo3, Rogacien Kana Dongmo2, André Pascal Goura1, Charlette Nangue1, Jérôme Ateudjieu1,2,3
1Meilleur Accès aux Soins de Santé (M.A. SANTE), Yaounde, Cameroun, 2Division of Health Operations Research, Cameroon Ministry of Public Health, Yaounde, Cameroon, 3Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon
&Corresponding author
Introduction: the capacity of Research Ethics Committee (RECs) members to review research protocol is one of the raised concerns in ensuring a minimum standard of research ethics evaluation. The purpose of this study was to assess the training needs of members of RECs in Cameroon.
Methods: it was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in all regions of Cameroon in 2020, assessing the training needs of RECs members in the ethical evaluation of health research protocols. Data were collected from all eligible RECs members using an electronic questionnaire. Data were analyzed to assess the proportion of respondents trained for research ethics topics and identify their training topic priorities.
Results: of the 79 members reached, 64 (81.01%) accepted to participate. The results showed that 21 (32.81%) REC members were not trained in research ethics evaluation including 68.75% not exposed to training on evaluating ethical issues during clinical trials. A fraction of respondents were unaware of national regulations (25%) and international guidelines like the Helsinki Declaration (32.81%). Participants identified and ranked their priorities regarding training needs with priorities in Cameroon texts regulating research, evaluation procedures of protocols, and organization of research in Cameroon. Workshops and e-learning were perceived as the main accessible sources of training.
Conclusion: the coverage of training of ethics committee members was relatively low on various topics. These gaps and the needs perceived by participants should be considered when setting up training programs for RECs members on ethical evaluation in Cameroon.
