Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
Ethical Considerations
Seeking Permission, Consent and upholding the Principle of
Volunteerism
Permission for the study was obtained from the Local Research
Ethics Committee for those in the experimental group and the
Student Research Ethics Committee at the higher educational
institutions for those in the control group. The researcher
approached those in the experimental group when they attended for
scanning information sessions on the Foetal medicine Unit with their
pregnant partners around the 11 th week of gestation. They were
provided with details of the study and assured that their decision to
participate/not participate or opt of the study at anytime without
giving reasons for doing so would not affect the subsequent care
that they and their pregnant partner’s received. Those who
indicated their interest and satisfied the study entry criteria were
invited to participate. The men in both groups were sent a study
information pack. This consisted of a covering letter, a study
information sheet, consent form, demographic details questionnaire,
three copies of Men’s Health during Partner’s Pregnancy
Questionnaire (but entitled differently for the control group: “Men’s
Health Questionnaire”) as well as three stamped addressed return
envelopes.
Persevering Anonymity and Confidentially
Anonymity was preserved in the questionnaires with each
participant being assigned an identification code and whose actual
name was only known to the researcher for the purpose of followup.
Strict confidentiality was maintained as all forms of data were
saved on a computer protected by a security password. Hard copies
of the questionnaires and other documents relating to the study
were stored in a locked cupboard in a secure room. Data was kept
for a period of three years for the purpose of secondary analysis
and with the intention of disposing of it in a safe manner thereafter.
Maintaining Beneficence and Non-malevolence
The benefits of the study were outlined to both groups. The lack of
contemporary research in the UK was explained which prompts the
study to be done and that participants could, if they wish, make a
valuable contribution in redressing this. Another obvious benefit for
those in the experimental group is raising awareness of men’s
health needs in antenatal care. This was important for men in their
supportive role as their concerns and anxieties may if acknowledged
might positively affect the pregnancy outcome for their partners.
For those in the control group the benefits of entering into the study
were also outlined and included serving as a comparative group to
support the existence of symptoms in men and those which are not
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