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Ibrahim ME, Adarmouch L, Elgamri A, Abd ElHafeez S, Mohammed Z, Abdelgawad F, Elsebaie EH, Abdelhafiz AS, Gamel E, El Rhazi K, Abdelnaby A, Ahram M, Silverman H. Researchers' Perspectives Regarding Ethical Issues of Biobank Research in the Arab Region. Biopreserv Biobank 2024; 22:98-109. [PMID: 36951637 PMCID: PMC11044858 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2022.0112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The recent expansion of genomic biobank research in the Arab region in the Middle East North Africa has raised complex ethical and regulatory issues. However, there is a lack of studies regarding the views of Arab researchers involved in such research. We aimed to assess the perceptions and attitudes of Arab researchers regarding these issues in biobank research. Methods: We developed a questionnaire to assess the perceptions and attitudes regarding genetic research of researchers from Egypt, Sudan, Morocco, and Jordan. The questionnaire requested demographic data, perceptions, and attitudes regarding the collection, storage, and use of biospecimens and data, the use of broad consent, data security, data sharing, and community engagement. We used multiple linear regressions to identify predictors of perceptions and attitudes. Results: We recruited 383 researchers. Researchers favored equally the use of broad and tiered consent (44.1% and 39.1%, respectively). Most respondents agreed with the importance of confidentiality protections to ensure data security (91.8%). However, lower percentages were seen regarding the importance of community engagement (64.5%), data sharing with national colleagues and international partners (60.9% and 41.1%, respectively), and biospecimen sharing with national colleagues and international partners (59.9% and 36.2%, respectively). Investigators were evenly split on whether the return of individual research results should depend on the availability or not of a medical intervention that can be offered to address the genetic anomaly (47.5% and 46.4%, respectively). Predictors of attitudes toward biospecimen research included serving on Research Ethics Committees, prior research ethics training, and affiliation with nonacademic institutions. Conclusions: We recommend further exploratory research with researchers regarding the importance of community engagement and to address their concerns about data sharing, with researchers within and outside their countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha E. Ibrahim
- Department of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Latifa Adarmouch
- Department of Community Medicine, Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Alya Elgamri
- Department of Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Samar Abd ElHafeez
- Epidemiology Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Zeinab Mohammed
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Fatma Abdelgawad
- Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman H. Elsebaie
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Samir Abdelhafiz
- Department of Clinical Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ehsan Gamel
- Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Karima El Rhazi
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Asmaa Abdelnaby
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mamoun Ahram
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Henry Silverman
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Abd ElHafeez S, Ahram M, Abdelhafiz AS, Ibrahim ME, Mostafa NT, Elgamri A, Mohammed Z, Abdelgawad F, Elsebaie E, Gamel E, Shahouri M, Adarmouch L, El Rhazi K, Silverman H. Development and Validation of a Biobank Questionnaire Intended for the Public in the Arab Region. Biopreserv Biobank 2021; 19:422-431. [PMID: 34280039 PMCID: PMC8573808 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2021.0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Assessing the public perspectives regarding donation of biospecimens to biobanks would be helpful with the establishment of biobanks in the Arab region. Objective: To develop a biobanking questionnaire in Arabic and assess its psychometric properties. Design: Multicenter cross-sectional study. Methods: We used a two-step process for questionnaire development. First, we decided on the important constructs for a questionnaire followed by development of an item pool through review of the scientific literature and published questionnaires. The questionnaire was refined through cognitive interviews and translation. An expert panel assessed content validity. The final questionnaire included five domains: perceptions; aspects important to participation in biobank research; preferences for type of biobank; attitudes toward biobanking; and willingness to participate in biobank research. Second, we distributed the questionnaire to 250 members of the public from Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, and Morocco to assess the questionnaire's psychometric properties, including reliability (internal consistency and Cronbach's alpha) and construct validity (convergent and divergent validity and exploratory factor analysis [EFA]). Results: Internal consistency yielded a range of Cronbach's alpha for the five domains from 0.62 to 0.80. EFA showed a 12-factorial solution. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.907 and Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant (p < 0.005). Attitudes were positively correlated with willingness to donate (r = 0.30; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The final biobank Arabic language questionnaire showed excellent reliability and acceptable validity parameters. The newly developed Arabic questionnaire is the first psychometrically tested tool that can be used in the Arab region to assess the public perspectives on participation in biobanking research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samar Abd ElHafeez
- Epidemiology Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mamoun Ahram
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Ahmed Samir Abdelhafiz
- Department of Clinical pathology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Maha Emad Ibrahim
- Department of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | | | - Alya Elgamri
- Department of Orthodontics, Pediatric dentistry and Preventive dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Zeinab Mohammed
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Fatma Abdelgawad
- Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health Department, Faculty of Dentistry, and Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman Elsebaie
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ehsan Gamel
- Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | | | - Latifa Adarmouch
- Department of Community Medicine, Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Karima El Rhazi
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine of Fez, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Henry Silverman
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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