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

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Bioethics
• Community-Based Participatory Research

Background:

• International health research in developing countries often lacks documented community engagement strategies.
• The Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) operates on the Thai-Burmese border, engaging with vulnerable populations like refugees and migrant workers.
• There is a need to understand practical experiences of establishing and consulting with community ethics advisory boards in such settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the experience of establishing and working with the Tak Province Border Community Ethics Advisory Board (T-CAB).
• To identify lessons learned and unique challenges encountered during the T-CAB's conception and operation.
• To evaluate the impact of T-CAB consultation on research practices.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative description of the establishment and functioning of the T-CAB.
• Case study approach detailing consultations between SMRU and T-CAB.
• Analysis of lessons learned regarding participant recruitment and informed consent.

Main Results:

• Consultation with T-CAB provided valuable insights into participant recruitment and informed consent processes.
• Engagement with T-CAB generated new research questions relevant to the community.
• The T-CAB initiative presented unique challenges specific to the border research context.

Conclusions:

• The establishment and consultation with the T-CAB significantly improved the operational and ethical aspects of SMRU's research.
• Community ethics advisory boards are crucial for enhancing the relevance and ethical conduct of international health research.
• Documenting experiences with community engagement mechanisms like T-CAB is essential for advancing the field.