ETHICS

IN SOCIAL
SCIENCES AND
HEALTH
RESEARCH

RYAN MICHAEL F. ODUCADO, MAN, MAED, RN, RM, LPT

Research Coordinator, West Visayas State University College of Nursing
Member, PNA Ethics Review Committee
OUTLINE
 Preliminaries, Definitions, Scope
 Relationship Between Health and Social
Science Research
 Debates and Ethical Issues in Social Science
Research
 Navigating Ethical Issues in Social Science
Research
 Research: is an activity that aims to
develop or contribute to knowledge that
can be generalized or any accumulation of
information using scientific methods,
Preliminaries, observation, inference, and analysis
(NEGHHR, 2017)
Definitions,
Scope Social Science Research: seeks to
understand and investigate complex
issues – cultural, legal, economic and
political phenomenon (Freed-Taylor, 1994)
 Research Involving Human Participants:
include any social science, biomedical, behavioral,
or epidemiological activity that entails systematic
collection or analysis of data with the intent to
generate new knowledge in which human beings:
Preliminaries,
Definitions, (1) are exposed to manipulation, intervention,
observation, or other interaction with investigators,
Scope either directly or through alteration of their
environment; or

(2) become individually identifiable through

investigators’ collection, preparation, or use of
biological material or medical or other records.

(Preamble 1, Declaration of Helsinki 2013)

 Health research: encompasses all research that
seeks to understand the impact of processes,
policies, actions, or events originating in any sector
on the well-being of individuals and communities;
and to assist in developing interventions that will help
Preliminaries, prevent or mitigate their negative impact, and in so
Definitions, doing, contribute to the achievement of health equity
and better health for all.
Scope
Health-related research: outside of the
aforementioned description for health research, but
where the research procedures and outcomes can
affect the well-being of the participants and the
community.
The Philippine National Health Research System Act (RA 10532) Joint IRR
Relationship between
health and social
science research
The SYMBIOTIC and COMPLEX relationship between
health and social research

 All health research involving human participants are conducted within a

social context

 Differences in conflicting theoretical and methodological approaches may

lead to divergences in ethical considerations and requirements

 All social research involving human participants have possible health and
health-related implications

(NEGHHR, 2017)
Importance of social science in health research
 Social science researches are firmly embedded in the field of health policy
and systems research

 It shapes our methods of enquiry and provides key critical theory through
which we can understand the people and the processes that shape health
systems

 These researches take into account the perspectives of the public and
those at the forefront of health service implementation

 Social science researches help to ‘understand’ human behavior

(Sheikh, 2011; Daniels, 2017)

Researching the social: a complex process

Human Social
Ethics ambiguity and awareness
irrationality

Social and Cultural Hawthorne

personal factors and effect
change assumptions
(Walter, 2010)
Debates and Ethical
Issues in Social
Science Research
Debate of ethical issues in social research

 How research plays in addressing social inequities

 Power relations between the researcher and the participants

 The nature of the risks to participants and the strategies to

mitigate them may not be as easily apparent

NEGHHR, 2017
Debate of ethical issues in social research
 Conducting cover research

 Role of the researcher as a participant-observer

 Research among “vulnerable” groups

 Changes taking place in research governance and regulation

for social researchers to research projects assessed by Ethics
Committees.
Madushani, 2010
 Orders and
Memorandums
Joint DOST, DOH, CHED, and
UPM Memorandum Order
001 Series of 2012:
Requirement for Ethical
Review of Health Research
Involving Human Participants
 1. Exempted From Review: required for
protocols that do not involve more
than minimal risk

2. Expedited Review: done by the REC

Kinds of Ethics Review for proposals that do not need a full
review; refers to the number of REC
members doing the initial review

3. Full Review: required for protocols

that entail more than minimal risk to
participants or those that involve
vulnerability issues.
(NEGHHR, 2017)
Ethical issues confronting different types of
social research

(Kelman, 1982)
Ethical issues confronting different types of
social research

(Kelman, 1982)
Ethical issues confronting different types of
social research

(Kelman, 1982)
 The Belmont Report

 Created by the National Commission for

the Protection of Human Subjects of
Navigating Ethical Biomedical and Behavioral Research in
1979
Issues in Social
 Identified basic ethical principles that
Science Research should underlie the conduct of
biomedical and behavioral research
involving human subjects
Basic ethical principles
Whether in social or health sciences, there are
fundamental ethical principles that are recognized by all
in the ethical conduct of research. Of prime importance
are the concern for the rights and well-being of the
research participants.
Ryan Michael F. Oducado