Adisa, Rasaq
Ayandokun, Teju T.
Ige, Olusoji M.
Article History
Received: 7 December 2020
Accepted: 23 March 2021
First Online: 7 April 2021
Declarations
:
: The University of Ibadan/University College Hospital (UI/UCH) and the Oyo State Ministry of Health (OYMOH) Ethics Review Committees (ERCs) approved the study protocol, consent form and other participants’ information vide the approval numbers, NHREC/05/01/2008a and AD13/479/957, respectively. We confirm that the oral/verbal inform consent was approved by the UI/UCH and OYMOH ethics committees for consent taken from the participants in our study, especially after the protocol has been duly translated to the local language (Yoruba), to ensure adequate comprehension by participants who did not understand English Language. Also, the consent information as contained in the informed consent form was read and explained to individual participant prior to their enrolment. In addition, the preliminary information on the study questionnaire contained a section with a caption ‘Do you consent to partake in this study’ with a Yes/NO response option, so as to clearly capture participant’s intention to partake in the study before the commencement of interview-administered questionnaire. An affirmative response of Yes, was taken as consent for participation and noted on individual coded questionnaire as a documented evidence for reference purpose.The UI/UCH and OYMOH Institution Review Boards/ERCs approved and deemed appropriate the use of oral/verbal consent instead of written/signatory informed consent for participation in our study, largely on account of non-invasive nature of our study procedures, as well as consideration of a questionnaire-based survey as the major tool for data collection, with questions carefully designed without infringement on patients’ privacy. However, we ensured and confirmed that all the procedures used in carrying out our study were strictly in accordance with the approved study protocol by the ethics committees, as well as following the ethical principles as stipulated by the Declaration of Helsinki for the conduct of research in human subjects including beneficence, non-maleficence, voluntariness and confidentiality of information among others.
: Not applicable.
: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.