Doing Ethical Research

Your neighbor and close friend has shared with you that he and his family have been asked to take part in a research study by a local University.  He is Native American, his wife is Hispanic, and their children are of course of mixed ethnic decent.  The study involves the family meeting with researchers repeatedly throughout the first year, and then twice a year for five years to follow. The researchers have explained that the study focuses on the mental and physical health of ethnic minorities in the region.  They will analyze how education attainment, employment status, and immigration status impact the health and well-being of children in California.

You neighbor has told you that he is unsure if his family should participate in the study.  On the one hand, they will earn money over the next five years that will help the family pay bills and save for college for his three children.  On the other hand, they are unsure if they can trust the researchers and the University.  They are particularly concerned about telling the truth about past chemical dependency and incarceration issues in the family as well as the fact that they have two relatives who are undocumented and living in the area.  Your neighbor asks you for your advice.

In a 3- to 5-page paper, write a response to your neighbor.  Cite and reference your response.  Before you provide a response, read the sources below.  Be sure to share with your neighbor what makes research with human subjects “ethical” and which ethical codes a study will need to follow if they are legitimate.  Make sure you also mention why the inclusion of informed consent is critical (not just “consent”).  In your response, share with him what you know about past research that has been unethical, so he knows what to look for, and tell him what he should make sure is involved in the research to be comfortable with his family’s participation.  Make sure you have explained under what conditions he should agree to participate, if any, and under what conditions he should refuse to participate, if any.

Readings – please read in this order:

Robbers Cave study -https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/apr/16/a-real-life-lord-of-the-flies-the-troubling-legacy-of-the-robbers-cave-experiment

Tuskegee Syphilis experiment – https://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/timeline.htm

Ethics in Research –
https://conjointly.com/kb/ethics-in-research/

NIH ethics in research –
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/index.cfm