Public/community engagement in health research with men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and opportunities

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorMolyneux, Sassy
dc.contributor.authorSariola, Salla
dc.contributor.authorAllman, Dan
dc.contributor.authorDijkstra, Maartje
dc.contributor.authorGichuru, Evans
dc.contributor.authorGraham, Susan
dc.contributor.authorKamuya, Dorcas
dc.contributor.authorGakii, Gloria
dc.contributor.authorKayemba, Brian
dc.contributor.authorKombo, Bernadette
dc.contributor.authorMaleche, Allan
dc.contributor.authorMbwambo, Jessie
dc.contributor.authorMarsh, Vicki
dc.contributor.authorMicheni, Murugi
dc.contributor.authorMumba, Noni
dc.contributor.authorParker, Michael
dc.contributor.authorShio, Jasmine
dc.contributor.authorYah, Clarence
dc.contributor.authorvan der Elst, Elise
dc.contributor.authorSanders, Eduard
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-08T07:04:12Z
dc.date.available2021-10-08T07:04:12Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.description.abstractAbstract Background Community engagement, incorporating elements of the broader concepts of public and stakeholder engagement, is increasingly promoted globally, including for health research conducted in developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, community engagement needs and challenges are arguably intensified for studies involving gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, where male same-sex sexual interactions are often highly stigmatised and even illegal. This paper contextualises, describes and interprets the discussions and outcomes of an international meeting held at the Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust in Kilifi, Kenya, in November 2013, to critically examine the experiences with community engagement for studies involving men who have sex with men. Discussion We discuss the ethically charged nature of the language used for men who have sex with men, and of working with ‘representatives’ of these communities, as well as the complementarity and tensions between a broadly public health approach to community engagement, and a more rights based approach. We highlight the importance of researchers carefully considering which communities to engage with, and the goals, activities, and indicators of success and potential challenges for each. We suggest that, given the unintended harms that can emerge from community engagement (including through labelling, breaches in confidentiality, increased visibility and stigma, and threats to safety), representatives of same-sex populations should be consulted from the earliest possible stage, and that engagement activities should be continuously revised in response to unfolding realities. Engagement should also include less vocal and visible men who have sex with men, and members of other communities with influence on the research, and on research participants and their families and friends. Broader ethics support, advice and research into studies involving men who have sex with men is needed to ensure that ethical challenges – including but not limited to those related to community engagement – are identified and addressed. Summary Underlying challenges and dilemmas linked to stigma and discrimination of men who have sex with men in Africa raise special responsibilities for researchers. Community engagement is an important way of identifying responses to these challenges and responsibilities but itself presents important ethical challenges.
dc.identifier.apacitationMolyneux, S., Sariola, S., Allman, D., Dijkstra, M., Gichuru, E., Graham, S., ... Sanders, E. (2016). Public/community engagement in health research with men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and opportunities. <i>Health Research Policy and Systems</i>, 14(1), 174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34450en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMolyneux, Sassy, Salla Sariola, Dan Allman, Maartje Dijkstra, Evans Gichuru, Susan Graham, Dorcas Kamuya, et al "Public/community engagement in health research with men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and opportunities." <i>Health Research Policy and Systems</i> 14, 1. (2016): 174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34450en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMolyneux, S., Sariola, S., Allman, D., Dijkstra, M., Gichuru, E., Graham, S., Kamuya, D. & Gakii, G. et al. 2016. Public/community engagement in health research with men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and opportunities. <i>Health Research Policy and Systems.</i> 14(1):174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34450en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1478-4505
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Molyneux, Sassy AU - Sariola, Salla AU - Allman, Dan AU - Dijkstra, Maartje AU - Gichuru, Evans AU - Graham, Susan AU - Kamuya, Dorcas AU - Gakii, Gloria AU - Kayemba, Brian AU - Kombo, Bernadette AU - Maleche, Allan AU - Mbwambo, Jessie AU - Marsh, Vicki AU - Micheni, Murugi AU - Mumba, Noni AU - Parker, Michael AU - Shio, Jasmine AU - Yah, Clarence AU - van der Elst, Elise AU - Sanders, Eduard AB - Abstract Background Community engagement, incorporating elements of the broader concepts of public and stakeholder engagement, is increasingly promoted globally, including for health research conducted in developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, community engagement needs and challenges are arguably intensified for studies involving gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, where male same-sex sexual interactions are often highly stigmatised and even illegal. This paper contextualises, describes and interprets the discussions and outcomes of an international meeting held at the Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust in Kilifi, Kenya, in November 2013, to critically examine the experiences with community engagement for studies involving men who have sex with men. Discussion We discuss the ethically charged nature of the language used for men who have sex with men, and of working with ‘representatives’ of these communities, as well as the complementarity and tensions between a broadly public health approach to community engagement, and a more rights based approach. We highlight the importance of researchers carefully considering which communities to engage with, and the goals, activities, and indicators of success and potential challenges for each. We suggest that, given the unintended harms that can emerge from community engagement (including through labelling, breaches in confidentiality, increased visibility and stigma, and threats to safety), representatives of same-sex populations should be consulted from the earliest possible stage, and that engagement activities should be continuously revised in response to unfolding realities. Engagement should also include less vocal and visible men who have sex with men, and members of other communities with influence on the research, and on research participants and their families and friends. Broader ethics support, advice and research into studies involving men who have sex with men is needed to ensure that ethical challenges – including but not limited to those related to community engagement – are identified and addressed. Summary Underlying challenges and dilemmas linked to stigma and discrimination of men who have sex with men in Africa raise special responsibilities for researchers. Community engagement is an important way of identifying responses to these challenges and responsibilities but itself presents important ethical challenges. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town IS - 1 J1 - Health Research Policy and Systems LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2016 SM - 1478-4505 T1 - Public/community engagement in health research with men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and opportunities TI - Public/community engagement in health research with men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and opportunities UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34450 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/34450
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMolyneux S, Sariola S, Allman D, Dijkstra M, Gichuru E, Graham S, et al. Public/community engagement in health research with men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and opportunities. Health Research Policy and Systems. 2016;14(1):174 - 177. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34450.en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Medicine
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciences
dc.sourceHealth Research Policy and Systems
dc.source.journalissue1
dc.source.journalvolume14
dc.source.pagination174 - 177
dc.source.urihttps://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12961-016-0106-3
dc.subject.otherCommentary
dc.subject.otherCommunity Health
dc.subject.otherHumans
dc.subject.otherHomosexuality
dc.subject.otherMale
dc.subject.otherPublic Health
dc.subject.otherResearch Design
dc.subject.otherDeveloping Countries
dc.subject.otherHuman Rights
dc.subject.otherEthics
dc.subject.otherResearch
dc.subject.otherSocial Responsibility
dc.subject.otherResearch Personnel
dc.subject.otherHealth Services
dc.subject.otherHealth Services Research
dc.subject.otherDelivery of Health Care
dc.subject.otherAfrica South of the Sahara
dc.subject.otherSocial Stigma
dc.subject.otherSocial Discrimination
dc.subject.otherHomophobia
dc.subject.otherCommunity Participation
dc.titlePublic/community engagement in health research with men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: challenges and opportunities
dc.typeJournal Article
uct.type.publicationResearch
uct.type.resourceJournal Article
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
MolyneuxSassy_Public_communit_2016.pdf
Size:
512.98 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Journal Articles