Ethics in research practices of the 60's – 80's. Part I

Interview of Olga Simoroz, Sofia Dmitrenko, Evgenia Zaichenko with Viktor Malakhov on the development of ethics as a philosophical discipline in Ukraine of the 60's - 70's.

Action research and its contributions to methodological science: general aspects

Due to the increase in popularity and the possibility of using action research, the instrument began to be used significantly, but with a concept not yet consolidated, the term has been applied in an abstract way, without deep and detailed interpretations of the use in various contexts. It is intended to clarify throughout this article the meaning of the term, and how this type of instrument can be applied in the best way, acting within the sphere of scientific-methodological rigor. The research problem is: what are the possibilities of using action research, its stages and fundamental care? The relevance of the tool lies in the fact that it allows the conduct of a research in a systematized, continuous and empirically based manner. Thus, it will be discussed about the role of theory in action research and the characteristics inherent to its fundamental phases will be pointed out. Some common questions related to the method, such as the participation of the researcher, the social function of reflection, the need to manage the acquired knowledge and ethics in research should be considered. Finally, some action research “models” are presented that can contribute to researchers in methodological choice and organization.

Peristomal Dermatitis: Treatment with Green Banana Peel (Musa sapientum) Powder

Objective To develop green banana peel (Musa sapientum) powder for the treatment of peristomal dermatitis, and to evaluate its effectiveness and healing time. Methods A clinical, analytical and longitudinal study. In total, 44 volunteers of both genders, aged > 18 years, with intestinal ostomy, who presented peristomal dermatitis, participated in the research. The sample was divided into two groups: the study group used a powder containing 10% of green banana peel, and the control group used ostomy powder. The research was approved by the Ethics in Research Committees (Comitês de Ética em Pesquisa, CEP, in Portuguese) under opinion n° 2.381.904. Results The healing time of the study group was shorter than that of the control group (p = 0.022). To analyze the results, we used the two-sample t-test (mean days until healing for both study groups). Conclusion The powder containing 10% of green banana peel was developed, and effective healing of the peristomal dermatitis was observed. Compared to the ostomy powder, it presented a shorter healing time.

Ethical Challenges Related to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak: Interviews With Professionals From Saudi Arabia

The new and dangerous coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has posed a serious challenge to the ability of healthcare systems of many countries to contain the spread of the disease and to mitigate its various consequences. The disease posed many ethical challenges both in itself and in the methods used in its management. Although the ethical principles that healthcare operates under are universal, a thorough understanding of the ethical difficulties it poses necessitates consideration of contextual, societal, and cultural factors. This study provides an in-depth exploration of the ethical challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in relation to healthcare providers, medical researchers, and decision-makers in Saudi Arabia. Four themes were extracted from participants' responses, namely, ethical challenges about disease-control measures, challenges to actions in certain groups, challenges regarding software programs, and finally ethics in research practices. Each theme likewise contained sub-themes. The themes and sub-themes were discussed in light of the ethical principles: autonomy, beneficence, non-beneficence, and justice, as well as other principles, such as protecting confidentiality, privacy, and preventing stigma and discrimination.

Ethics in Research

This chapter studies ethics in research. Ethics play an important role in scientific inquiry, beyond cases of plagiarism, fraud, and misconduct. Importantly, there is a difference between ethical research and ethical researchers. While principles of ethics in research stem mostly from the biomedical field, they have also been adapted to apply to the social sciences. These principles are generally addressed through three common principles: voluntary participation, informed consent, and confidentiality. Researchers themselves must be wary of a number of other factors that can influence their project and role, such as the supervision of students, or other situations where there is a relationship of authority. Similarly, researchers must be careful not to make misrepresentations to subjects about the project or the related risks, or fail to disclose any conflict of interest. Researchers must take steps to ensure their neutrality so that no preconceptions or personal bias can risk influencing the results or subjects. The chapter then looks at ethics review boards and the emergent ethical issues.

Ethical Issues and Values in Research

This chapter introduces the reader to ethical issues related to most research approaches in social science and education and provides an in-depth background and rationale for adhering to ethics in research practice. It fosters an appreciation of ethical strategies in undertaking research involving both humans and non-humans, but particularly the need for respecting human dignity. The stages of intellectual property in research are highlighted with a view to conscientise the reader on the need to respect and acknowledge other people's work. The conflict between positivists and social constructionists, which arises due to differences between subjectivity and objectivity is also noted and explored, leading to an examination of what values may mean in a research inquiry.