Attitudes and practices of public health academics towards research funding from for-profit organizations: cross-sectional survey

Rima Nakkash; Ahmed Ali; Hala Alaouie; Khalil Asmar; Norbert Hirschhorn; Sanaa Mugharbil; Iman Nuwayhid; Leslie London; Amina Saban; Sabina Faiz Rashid; Md Koushik Ahmed; Cecile Knai; Charlotte Bigland; Rima A Afifi

doi:10.1007/s00038-020-01416-0

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Attitudes and practices of public health academics towards research funding from for-profit organizations: cross-sectional survey

Journal article

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Attitudes and practices of public health academics towards research funding from for-profit organizations: cross-sectional survey

Rima Nakkash, Ahmed Ali, Hala Alaouie, Khalil Asmar, Norbert Hirschhorn, Sanaa Mugharbil, Iman Nuwayhid, Leslie London, Amina Saban, Sabina Faiz Rashid, …

International journal of public health, Vol.65(7), pp.1133-1145

2020

DOI: 10.1007/s00038-020-01416-0

PMCID: PMC7497330

PMID: 32840634

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Abstract

Objectives The growing trend of for-profit organization (FPO)-funded university research is concerning because resultant potential conflicts of interest might lead to biases in methods, results, and interpretation. For public health academic programmes, receiving funds from FPOs whose products have negative health implications may be particularly problematic. Methods A cross-sectional survey assessed attitudes and practices of public health academics towards accepting funding from FPOs. The sampling frame included universities in five world regions offering a graduate degree in public health; 166 academics responded. Descriptive, bivariate, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results Over half of respondents were in favour of accepting funding from FPOs; attitudes differed by world region and gender but not by rank, contract status, % salary offset required, primary identity, or exposure to an ethics course. In the last 5 years, almost 20% of respondents had received funding from a FPO. Sixty per cent of respondents agreed that there was potential for bias in seven aspects of the research process, when funds were from FPOs. Conclusions Globally, public health academics should increase dialogue around the potential harms of research and practice funded by FPOs.

Public Health

Commercial determinants of health

Funding

For-profit corporation

Conflict of interest

Unhealthy commodity industries

Original

Details

Title: Subtitle: Attitudes and practices of public health academics towards research funding from for-profit organizations: cross-sectional survey
Creators: Rima Nakkash - Beirut, Lebanon
Ahmed Ali - Beirut, Lebanon
Hala Alaouie - Beirut, Lebanon
Khalil Asmar - Beirut, Lebanon
Norbert Hirschhorn - Independent Consultant, Minneapolis, MN USA
Sanaa Mugharbil - Beirut, Lebanon
Iman Nuwayhid - Beirut, Lebanon
Leslie London - Cape Town, South Africa
Amina Saban - Cape Town, South Africa
Sabina Faiz Rashid - Dhaka, Bangladesh
Md Koushik Ahmed - Dhaka, Bangladesh
Cecile Knai - London, UK
Charlotte Bigland - London, UK
Rima A Afifi - 145 N Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: International journal of public health, Vol.65(7), pp.1133-1145
DOI: 10.1007/s00038-020-01416-0
PMID: 32840634
PMCID: PMC7497330
NLM abbreviation: Int J Public Health
ISSN: 1661-8556
eISSN: 1661-8564
Publisher: Springer International Publishing; Cham
Grant note: 106773-001 / ;
Language: English
Date published: 2020
Academic Unit: Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health
Record Identifier: 9984066104002771

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