Radiography and Diagnostic Imaging, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Radiography and Diagnostic Imaging, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Radiography (Lond). 2022 Nov;28(4):1016-1024. doi: 10.1016/j.radi.2022.07.004. Epub 2022 Aug 5.
The Radiography Research Ethics Standards for Europe (RRESFE) project aimed to provide a cross-sectional view of the current state of radiography research ethics across Europe. This included investigating education and training in research ethics, and identifying the key challenges and potential improvements associated with using existing research ethics frameworks.
This cross-sectional online survey targeting radiography researchers in Europe was conducted between April 26 and July 12, 2021. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to identify research ethics education and training trends. Content analysis of qualitative responses was employed to identify significant challenges and proposed improvements in research ethics frameworks of practice.
There were 232 responses received across 33 European countries. Most (n = 132; 57%) respondents had received some research ethics training; however, fewer participants had received training on safeguarding vulnerable patients (n = 72; 38%), diversity and inclusivity (n = 62; 33%), or research with healthy volunteers (n = 60; 32%). Training was associated with a greater perceived importance of the need for research ethics review (p = 0.031) and with the establishment of EQF Level 6 training (p = 0.038). The proportion of formally trained researchers also varied by region (p = <0.001). Time-to-ethics-approval was noted as the biggest challenge for professionals making research ethics applications.
Early and universal integration of research-oriented teaching within the radiography education framework which emphasises research ethics is recommended. Additionally, study findings suggest research ethics committee application and approval processes could be further simplified and streamlined.
The survey contributes to a growing body of knowledge surrounding the importance of education and training in research ethics for assuring a high standard of research outputs in Radiography and has identified hurdles to obtaining research ethics approval for further investigation and address.
欧洲放射学研究伦理标准（RRESFE）项目旨在提供欧洲当前放射学研究伦理状况的横断面视图。这包括调查研究伦理教育和培训，并确定与使用现有研究伦理框架相关的主要挑战和潜在改进。
这项针对欧洲放射学研究人员的横断面在线调查于 2021 年 4 月 26 日至 7 月 12 日进行。使用描述性和分析性统计数据来确定研究伦理教育和培训趋势。对定性回应的内容分析用于确定实践中研究伦理框架的重大挑战和拟议改进。
在 33 个欧洲国家共收到 232 份回复。大多数（n=132；57%）受访者接受过一些研究伦理培训；然而，接受过保护弱势患者（n=72；38%）、多样性和包容性（n=62；33%）或健康志愿者研究（n=60；32%）培训的参与者较少。培训与对研究伦理审查必要性的更大感知重要性（p=0.031）和 EQF 水平 6 培训的建立（p=0.038）相关。受过正式培训的研究人员的比例也因地区而异（p<0.001）。专业人员在提出研究伦理申请时，注意到获得伦理批准的时间是最大的挑战。
建议在放射学教育框架内尽早和普遍纳入强调研究伦理的面向研究的教学。此外，研究结果表明，研究伦理委员会的申请和批准程序可以进一步简化和精简。
该调查为研究伦理教育在确保放射学研究成果高标准方面的重要性提供了更多的知识，并确定了获得研究伦理批准的障碍，以便进一步调查和解决。
