International Health
Volume 2, Issue 2, 2010, Pages 123-129

Community engagement on the Thai-Burmese border: rationale, experience and lessons learnt (Article)

Cheah P.Y.* , Lwin K.M. , Phaiphun L. , Maelankiri L. , Parker M. , Day N.P. , White N.J. , Nosten F.
  • a Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Tak, Mae Sot, 63110, Thailand, Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand, Centre for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7LJ, United Kingdom
  • b Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Tak, Mae Sot, 63110, Thailand
  • c Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Tak, Mae Sot, 63110, Thailand
  • d Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Tak, Mae Sot, 63110, Thailand
  • e The Ethox Centre, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Oxford, Badenoch Building, Oxford, OX3 7LF, United Kingdom
  • f Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand, Centre for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7LJ, United Kingdom
  • g Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand, Centre for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7LJ, United Kingdom
  • h Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Tak, Mae Sot, 63110, Thailand, Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand, Centre for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7LJ, United Kingdom

Abstract

Community engagement is increasingly promoted in developing countries, especially in international health research, but there is little published experience. The Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) conducts research with refugees, migrant workers, displaced people, and day migrants on the Thai-Burmese border, and has recently facilitated the set up of the Tak Province Border Community Ethics Advisory Board (T-CAB). Valuable lessons have been learnt from consultation with the T-CAB especially in the area of participant recruitment and the informed consent process. A lot of new research questions have emerged from consultation with the T-CAB. This paper describes our experience, lessons learnt and the unique challenges faced working with the T-CAB from its initial conception to date. We conclude that consultation with the T-CAB has made improvements in our research in particular operational and ethical aspects of our studies. © 2010 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Author Keywords

Community engagement Migrants Ethics Community Border population Community advisory board

Index Keywords

male medical research female priority journal research ethics system analysis advisory committee public health service Myanmar human relation Article informed consent Thailand community care developing country human adult language ability
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77953113836&doi=10.1016%2fj.inhe.2010.02.001&partnerID=40&md5=6ac06ca3edc8851d0649bb2c29947165
DOI: 10.1016/j.inhe.2010.02.001
ISSN: 18763413
Cited by: 23
Original Language: English