A Survey to Determine the Capacity Development Needs of Research Ethics Committee Administrators in South Africa. (February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mulondo, Mutshidzi A.; Tsoka-Gwegweni, Joyce M.; LenkaBula, Puleng; Chikobvu, Perpetual
• Is Part Of: Journal of empirical research on human research ethics. Volume 17:Number 1/2(2022)
• Page Start: 84
• Page End: 93
• Publication Date: 2022-02
• Subjects: capacity development -- research ethics committee -- administrator -- bioethics -- South Africa; Medical ethics -- Research -- Periodicals; Research -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Periodicals; 174.205
• DOI: 10.1177/15562646211056762
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1556-2646

Abstract

Most capacity development efforts for research ethics committees focus on committee members and little on ethics administrators. Increasing studies mandate the focus on administrators' capacity development needs to enable adequate and effective committee support. This study investigated current responsibilities, training requirements, and administrator role needs. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among administrators from 62 National Health Research Ethics Council-registered research ethics committees in South Africa. In total, 36 administrators completed the questionnaire. Results show that, in addition to administration, they perform managerial, review process and guidance-advisory tasks. Nearly 49% indicated only having received informal research ethics-related training, not targeted formal training, with 81% of the informal training being through workshops. Research ethics administrators' responsibilities have evolved to complex tasks requiring targeted capacity development efforts.