Journal article
Challenges to obtaining parental permission for child participation in a school-based waterpipe tobacco smoking prevention intervention in Qatar
BMC medical ethics, Vol.15(1), pp.70-70
09/30/2014
DOI: 10.1186/1472-6939-15-70
PMCID: PMC4254406
PMID: 25267351
Abstract
Background: Involving children in research studies requires obtaining parental permission. A school-based intervention to delay/prevent waterpipe use for 7th and 8th graders in Qatar was developed, and parental permission requested. Fifty three percent (2308/4314) of the parents returned permission forms; of those 19.5% of the total (840/4314) granted permission. This paper describes the challenges to obtaining parental permission. No research to date has described such challenges in the Arab world.
Methods: A random sample of 40 schools in Doha, Qatar was selected for inclusion in the original intervention. Permission forms were distributed to parents for approval of their child's participation. The permission forms requested that parents indicate their reasons for non-permission if they declined. These were categorized into themes. In order to understand reasons for non-permission, interviews with parents were conducted. Phone numbers of parents were requested from the school administration; 12 of the 40 schools (30%) agreed to provide the contact information. A random sample of 28 parents from 12 schools was interviewed to reach data saturation. Thematic analysis was used to analyze their responses.
Results: Reasons for non-permission documented in both the forms and interviews included: poor timing; lack of interest; the child not wanting to participate; and the child living in a smoke-free environment. Interviews provided information on important topics to include in the consent forms, parents' decision-making processes regarding their child's participation, and considerations for communicating with parents. Many parents also indicated that this was the first time they had been asked to give an informed consent for their child's participation in a study.
Conclusions: Results indicate that more attention needs to be given to the informed parental consent process. Researchers should consider enhancing both the methods of communicating information as well the specific information provided. Before embarking on recruitment of children for studies, formative research on the parental consent process is suggested.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Challenges to obtaining parental permission for child participation in a school-based waterpipe tobacco smoking prevention intervention in Qatar
- Creators
- Rima T Nakkash - Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, PO Box 11–0237, Riad El Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020 LebanonAhmad Al Mulla - Smoking Cessation Clinic, Medicine Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, QatarLena Torossian - Smoking Cessation Clinic, Medicine Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, QatarRoubina Karhily - Smoking Cessation Clinic, Medicine Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, QatarLama Shuayb - Smoking Cessation Clinic, Medicine Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, QatarZiyad R Mahfoud - Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Doha, QatarIbrahim Janahi - Medicine Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, QatarAl Anoud Al Ansari - Medicine Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, QatarRema A Afifi - Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, PO Box 11–0237, Riad El Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020 Lebanon
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- BMC medical ethics, Vol.15(1), pp.70-70
- DOI
- 10.1186/1472-6939-15-70
- PMID
- 25267351
- PMCID
- PMC4254406
- NLM abbreviation
- BMC Med Ethics
- ISSN
- 1472-6939
- eISSN
- 1472-6939
- Publisher
- BioMed Central; London
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/30/2014
- Academic Unit
- Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984063203202771
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