Community perception and beliefs about blood draw for clinical research in Ghana

Boahen, Owusu; Owusu‐Agyei, Seth; Febir, Lawrence Gyabaa; Tawiah, Charlotte; Tawiah, Theresa; Afari, Samuel; Newton, Samuel S.

doi:10.1093/trstmh/trt012

Cited by 33 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Blood is often viewed as sacred. It is only in living memory that it has become accepted that it can be drawn out of the body under special circumstances for example during medical examination when a person is sick [3]. It is for this reason that respondents in this study expressed fear of donating blood and tended to associate the practice with Satanism.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…This finding resonates with other reports of fear that researchers use blood samples for rituals, and blood collection is viewed with suspicion in some African communities. Such rituals would have the potential of creating misfortunes in families of those involved, and this understandably generates fear [3].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These concerns and misconceptions, which are often grounded within a specific social-cultural context, generate rumours which negatively affect recruitment and increase losses to follow-up [3]. Loss to follow-up can happen even after consent is obtained [4] and may represent withdrawal of consent.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Discontent with the quantity of blood that people are requested to give may also cause people not to participate in clinical trials or withdraw from trials that involve drawing of blood samples [3]. Studies conducted in India showed that factors such as quality of facilities, convenience of the facilities where samples are drawn, and the quality of service provided in these facilities, also influenced people’s attitude towards blood donation [7]–[9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies conducted in India showed that factors such as quality of facilities, convenience of the facilities where samples are drawn, and the quality of service provided in these facilities, also influenced people’s attitude towards blood donation [7]–[9]. Failure to adequately explore and understand the underlying contextual factors, for example social, cultural, economic and political issues, regarding drawing of blood and tissue samples could adversely affect programmes or laboratory investigations that require the use of the blood and tissue specimens [3], [10], [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Improving Validity of Informed Consent for Biomedical Research in Zambia Using a Laboratory Exposure Intervention

et al. 2014

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BackgroundComplex biomedical research can lead to disquiet in communities with limited exposure to scientific discussions, leading to rumours or to high drop-out rates. We set out to test an intervention designed to address apprehensions commonly encountered in a community where literacy is uncommon, and where complex biomedical research has been conducted for over a decade. We aimed to determine if it could improve the validity of consent.MethodsData were collected using focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observations. We designed an intervention that exposed participants to a detailed demonstration of laboratory processes. Each group was interviewed twice in a day, before and after exposure to the intervention in order to assess changes in their views.ResultsFactors that motivated people to participate in invasive biomedical research included a desire to stay healthy because of the screening during the recruitment process, regular advice from doctors, free medical services, and trust in the researchers. Inhibiting factors were limited knowledge about samples taken from their bodies during endoscopic procedures, the impact of endoscopy on the function of internal organs, and concerns about the use of biomedical samples. The belief that blood can be used for Satanic practices also created insecurities about drawing of blood samples. Further inhibiting factors included a fear of being labelled as HIV positive if known to consult heath workers repeatedly, and gender inequality. Concerns about the use and storage of blood and tissue samples were overcome by a laboratory exposure intervention.ConclusionSelecting a group of members from target community and engaging them in a laboratory exposure intervention could be a useful tool for enhancing specific aspects of consent for biomedical research. Further work is needed to determine the extent to which improved understanding permeates beyond the immediate group participating in the intervention.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Improving Validity of Informed Consent for Biomedical Research in Zambia Using a Laboratory Exposure Intervention

et al. 2014

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Bringing the lab bench to the field: Point‐of‐care testing for enhancing health research and stakeholder engagement in rural/remote, indigenous, and resource‐limited contexts

Madimenos

Gildner

Eick

et al. 2022

American J Hum Biol

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Point-of-care testing (POCT) allows researchers and health-care providers to bring the lab bench to the field, providing essential health information that can be leveraged to improve health care, accessibility, and understanding across clinical and research settings. Gaps in health service access are most pronounced in what we term RIR settings-rural/remote regions, involving Indigenous peoples, and/or within resource-limited settings. In these contexts, morbidity and mortality from infectious and non-communicable diseases are disproportionately higher due to numerous geographic, economic, political, and sociohistorical factors. Human biologists and global health scholars are well-positioned to contribute on-the-groundlevel insights that can serve to minimize global health inequities and POCT has the potential to augment such approaches. While the clinical benefits of POCT include increasing health service access by bringing testing, rapid diagnosis, and treatment to underserved communities with limited pathways to centralized laboratory testing, POCT also provides added benefits to both health-focused researchers and their participants. Through portable, minimally invasive devices, researchers can provide actionable health data to participants by coupling POCT with population-specific health education, discussing results and their implications, creating space for participants to voice concerns, and facilitating linkages to treatment. POCT can also strengthen human biology research by shedding light on questions of evolutionary and biocultural importance. Here, we expand on the epidemiological and research value, as well as practical and ethical challenges of POCT across stakeholders (i.e., participant, community, health researcher, and trainee). Finally, we emphasize the immense opportunities of POCT for fostering collaborative research and enhancing access to health delivery and information and, by extension, helping to mitigate persistent global health inequities.

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Non-blood Sampling

Mharakurwa¹

2014

Encyclopedia of Malaria

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Community perception and beliefs about blood draw for clinical research in Ghana

Abstract: To facilitate clinical research that entails blood draw, it is important to address concerns and rumours through intensive community sensitisation.

Cited by 33 publications

References 7 publications

Improving Validity of Informed Consent for Biomedical Research in Zambia Using a Laboratory Exposure Intervention

Improving Validity of Informed Consent for Biomedical Research in Zambia Using a Laboratory Exposure Intervention

Bringing the lab bench to the field: Point‐of‐care testing for enhancing health research and stakeholder engagement in rural/remote, indigenous, and resource‐limited contexts

Non-blood Sampling

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