Table 5 List of some potential best practices1 to consider when conducting health-related investigation within refugee populations2
Pre-investigation Phase | Investigation Phase | Post-investigation Phase |
|---|---|---|
- Ensure early engagement with key community leaders, stakeholders, and overall community (pre-investigation meetings, etc.) to ensure transparency and trust; and continue throughout investigation | ||
- Conduct a pilot investigation to allow key community members to provide feedback on sensitive questions and implementation strategies - Ensure review of protocol by an ethics committee in the countries of both the investigator(s) and the investigation, and by members of the refugee community, to minimize risks - Address potential power imbalances that may affect the investigation or who is represented - Prevent over-researching by searching literature before investigating - Train investigators (e.g., in cultural competency) - Differentiate investigation activities from social services - Inform community members on the purpose of the investigation - Give a voice to the community and key stakeholders to comment on the potential investigation and ask questions | - Ensure a private location for data collection (hard to find in refugee camps) - Carefully consider the risks to privacy when using interpreters from the community, and consider hiring interpreters from outside the community - Carefully consider the risks to privacy when conducting focus groups (consider separating by gender, age, or religion if appropriate) - If an incentive is used, place its value in context - Consider iterative consent - Minimize risks and harm (e.g., ensure a doctor/counselor is available in the event of physical or psychological distress) - Educate individuals on their rights as potential participants before they provide their consent - Ensure participation does not interfere with access to services - Ensure informed consent procedure is sensitive to cultural practices and norms, and practical for populations that have low literacy or little understanding of the investigation process - Present preliminary results to stakeholders to improve interpretation of results | - Present final results to both participants and their community - If an intervention is provided engage with the community and stakeholders to ensure its sustainability - Provide community members with job skills to be used post-investigation - Empower community health workers through trainings - Provide continued and sustainable health educational classes for the community - Allow participants and community members to comment on the results - Identify ways to provide immediate benefits in addition to long-term, sustainable ones |