Question

Imagine that you are conducting a study on risk of HIV in young adults residing in rural Mississippi. You want to assess risk behaviors in this population through a paper survey that your participants will complete and return to you. Pick one aspect of the Belmont report (justice, beneficence, and respect for persons), and describe how you would design your study to address it so that your participants are protected

Answer 1

Protecting the participants of a Research study:

National Commission for the protection of Human subjects of Biomedical and Behavioural research written the Belmont report to protect participants and subjects in research studies and clinical or experimental trials. In the Report there are mainly three Principles got emphasised, namely; Beneficence , Justice and respect for the persons.

'A study on risk of HIVin young adults ' ; How to protect the participants?

This study uses a paper survey form to give to participants so that they can fill it . This survey ( A questionnaire or similar instrument used for examining the opinions of a group of people ) form is to assess the risk behaviours of the population. Researcher can protect the participants by keeping the ethical principles of Research. One of the main principle , according to Belmont report, is :

* Beneficence;

An act which benefits someone else or an act of Philanthropy. Philanthropy means benevolent altruism with the intention of increasing the wellbeing  of Humankind. Beneficence emphasises the philosophy of " Do no harm, but good ".

Based on this principle , the study can be designed in such a way that , it must ensure;

* IRB ( Institutional Review Board) approval

* Subjects's understanding on the research project and the researcher should be approachable at any time for clarification of doubts

* Informed Consent should be obtained prior to study

* Confidentiality. Patient's identity must be protected. Motivate them to participate and assure that their identity will not be revealed.

* All subjects should get the minimal care or health education as needed for their condition. For example, Researcher have to provide some form of health education or teaching or awareness regarding the prevention of HIV, after the data collection.