A questionnaire on factors influencing children’s assent and dissent to non-therapeutic research
Background: Knowledge about assent or dissent of children to non-therapeutic research is poor. Objectives: To assess sociodemographic characteristics in healthy children and adolescents who were invited to participate in non-therapeutic research, to evaluate their motives for assent or dissent and t...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
BMJ Publ.
2006
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| In: |
Journal of medical ethics
Year: 2006, Volume: 32, Issue: 5, Pages: 292-297 |
| Online Access: |
Presumably Free Access Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Background: Knowledge about assent or dissent of children to non-therapeutic research is poor. Objectives: To assess sociodemographic characteristics in healthy children and adolescents who were invited to participate in non-therapeutic research, to evaluate their motives for assent or dissent and their understanding of the information given. Methods: A total of 1281 healthy children and adolescents six to sixteen years of age were invited to participate in a non-therapeutic study and a questionnaire. Results: Assenting children were motivated by a desire to help sick children (n = 638, 98%) and to gain experience with participating in a research study (n = 503, 82%). Dissenting children made their decision because of worries about having a blood (n = 193, 46%) or a urine sample (n = 94, 26%) taken or because of worries about a doctor’s examination (n = 136, 33%). Fewer children in the assent group (n = 166, 25%) than in the dissent group (136, 33%) worried about the doctor’s examination (p = 0.01). In the assent and dissent group, 568 (86%) and 343 (85%) children, respectively, said they were able to understand some or all of the written information (p = 0.42), and 650 (97%) and 330 (98%), respectively, were able to understand some or all of the verbal information (p = 0.07). Conclusions: Sociodemographic characteristics may not influence healthy children’s decision to volunteer for non-therapeutic research. Assenting children have altruistic and educational motives, whereas worries about procedures may cause children to dissent. A great majority of school children and adolescents feel capable of understanding and giving assent or dissent to non-therapeutic research. |
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| ISSN: | 1473-4257 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of medical ethics
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1136/jme.2004.010579 |