Abstract

With the rise of the One Health paradigm, ethicists have called for new research approaches, considering the interdependent relationships of humans, animals, and their environment. These relationships can be particularly complex within resource-poor, smallholder livestock systems, necessitating a rigorous informed-consent process. Little has been published on informed consent beyond human-subject research. This paper outlines two studies on informed consent, for research identifying diseases of animal and human importance, within smallholder livestock value chains. Firstly, a randomized independent-group study compared three communication tools (written, cartoons, and photographs) for informing 22 Tanzanian livestock-keepers before seeking their consent. A significant difference in comprehension and engagement in the informed-consent process was found between tools, and cartoons had the highest (i.e. best combined comprehension and engagement) scores. Most (21 out of 22) farmers answered half or more the questions correctly, but none were able to answer all questions. Comprehension testing allowed identification of common misunderstandings, such as immediate benefits the farmers would receive and the process to be used for relaying research results. Dialogue stimulated by cartoons and photographs allowed researchers to determine and respond to participants' varied relationships with their livestock. The second study assessed preferred methods for indicating consent among informal-sector milk vendors in Nairobi, Kenya. Of consenting participants, 61% (140/230) indicated consent verbally, 39%(90/230) signed consent and none chose thumbprint. There was a significant enumerator-effect on both overall consent and the methods chosen. Several of these findings echo those published in human-medical research. Additionally, highlighted here is the importance of facilitating dialogue during the informed-consent process in One Health research, for a more nuanced understanding of relationships between humans, animals, and their environment. Also discussed is how a requirement to sign consent forms might limit consent among workers in informal markets, which are commonly studied in One Health research. We suggest expansion of these, and development of further, studies towards improving consent processes in One Health research. (c) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Informed consent; One Health; Tanzania; Kenya; Livestock; Smallholder; Communication; Research ethics; Autonomy; Comprehension; Signature; Cartoons

Published in

Preventive Veterinary Medicine
2016, Volume: 128, pages: 135-141
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

SLU Authors

• Lindahl, Johanna

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
SDG16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
SDG17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development


UKÄ Subject classification

Other Veterinary Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2016.04.008

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/83263