%0 Journal Article
%T Evaluating Community Advisory Boards’ Capacity to Support Meaningful Engagement in Clinical Research: A Mixed-Methods Study
%A Sarad Pawar Naik Nanfuka
%A Saswati Mishra
%J Asian Journal of Ethics in Health and Medicine
%@ 3108-5059
%D 2021
%V 1
%N 1
%R 10.51847/qz2uWovlH4
%P 55-62
%X Active involvement of communities is fundamental in health research, and Community Advisory Boards (CABs) are among the key mechanisms used to achieve this engagement. Despite their importance, the extent to which CABs can effectively fulfill their responsibilities in clinical research is not well established in many low-resource contexts. This study explored the operational capacity of CABs to support meaningful community participation in Uganda. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed. Data collection involved structured questionnaires administered to CAB members, alongside key informant interviews (KIIs) with investigators and community liaison officers. Quantitative information was summarized using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were analyzed through content analysis. Structured questionnaires were completed by 73 CAB members; 58.9% were male, with a median age of 49 years (range 24–70). While 71.2% reported tertiary education, a substantial proportion lacked research-related training: 42.5% had never attended research ethics courses, only 26% had training in human subject protection, 30.1% received instruction in health research, and over half (50.7%) had no training regarding CAB roles. Furthermore, 72.6% reported the absence of operational guidelines. From the 24 KIIs, CAB members were recognized as being able to review study protocols, advise on cultural and community expectations, and provide useful feedback to research teams. However, recurring barriers were highlighted, including limited funding, lack of autonomy, absence of standardized guidelines, and insufficient understanding of ethical issues. CABs in Uganda demonstrate some ability to contribute to community engagement in clinical research. Nevertheless, their effectiveness is undermined by inadequate resources, lack of independence, absence of operational frameworks, and insufficient knowledge of research ethics and participant protection.
%U https://smerpub.com/article/evaluating-community-advisory-boards-capacity-to-support-meaningful-engagement-in-clinical-research-zb0bhyv9uw19jah