Reported processes and practices of researchers applying for human research ethics approval for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research: a mixed methods study.

Author(s)
Bryant, Jamie
Booth, Kade
Collis, Felicity
Chamberlain, Catherine
Hughes Wagadagam , Jaquelyne
Hobden, Breanne
Griffiths, Kalinda E
Wenitong, Mark
O'Mara, Peter
Brown, Alex
Eades, Sandra J
Kong, Kelvin M
Lovett, Raymond W
Kennedy, Michelle
Publication Date
2025-02-02
Abstract
To examine self-reported practices for obtaining ethics approval and reflections on ethics application processes among researchers who have conducted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and medical research.Cross-sectional online survey.Australian-based researchers who conducted research that included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or their data.Results from a 74-item online survey that participants completed, which included questions on demographics, ethics processes, perceptions of engagement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, and barriers to and enablers of conducting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research.Of 553 eligible researchers who commenced the survey, 439 (79.4%) answered all of the questions and were included in the analysis. A total of 327 participants (74.5%) had obtained ethics approval from an Aboriginal human research ethics committee (AHREC), 254 (57.9%) had obtained multistate ethics approvals and 270 (61.5%) had not participated in ethics training specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research. Participants were significantly more likely to report being very or extremely confident in managing the ethics application process if they had ≥ 6 years of research experience, had participated in training, had obtained ethics approval from an AHREC, or dedicated > 50% of their time to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research. Participants acknowledged the importance of ethics approval processes in improving research practices, however they identified time and costs as barriers. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants identified that ethics processes do not always uphold Indigenous approaches or methodologies.Processes for obtaining ethics approval for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and medical research do not meet contemporary research needs and would be strengthened by streamlining ethics application processes, reducing time and cost barriers, and enhancing cultural appropriateness. We join calls for the establishment of state-based AHRECs in every jurisdiction, and a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander human research ethics committee to review cross-jurisdictional research.
Affiliation
University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW.
Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW.
University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW.
Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW.
University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW.
Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW.
The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
Onemda, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
Flinders University, Darwin, NT.
Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, NT.
University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW.
Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW.
Flinders University, Darwin, NT.
Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, NT.
University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW.
The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD.
University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW.
The Kids Research Institute Australia, Adelaide, SA.
South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA.
Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.
The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW.
Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW.
Yardhura Walani National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra, ACT.
University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW.
Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW.
Citation
Med J Aust . 2025 Feb 3:222 Suppl 2:S25-S33. doi: 10.5694/mja2.52565.
ISSN
1326-5377
OrcId
0009-0001-8197-9382
0000-0001-9691-068X
Pubmed ID
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39893580/?otool=iaurydwlib
Link
Subject
Ethics
research
MESH subject
Humans
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Cross-Sectional Studies
Australia
Female
Male
Adult
Research Personnel
Ethics Committees, Research
Middle Aged
Ethics, Research
Surveys and Questionnaires
Health Services, Indigenous
Biomedical Research
Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
Title
Reported processes and practices of researchers applying for human research ethics approval for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research: a mixed methods study.
Type of document
Journal Article
Entity Type
Publication

Files:

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