Volume 17 - Supplement of 11th Annual Iranian Congress of Medical Ethics
IJMEHM 2024, 17 - Supplement of 11th Annual Iranian Congress of Medical Ethics : 1-4 |
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Shirozhan S. Ethics in Rehabilitation Research: A Review of Concerns, Challenges, and Ethical Principles. IJMEHM 2024; 17 (S1) :1-4
URL: http://ijme.tums.ac.ir/article-1-6927-en.html
URL: http://ijme.tums.ac.ir/article-1-6927-en.html
Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Science, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (1012 Views)
The rising prevalence of disabilities worldwide has drawn significant attention to the need for effective measures in preventing disabilities, managing existing conditions, and rehabilitating individuals with disabilities. These efforts can only be effective if grounded in evidence derived from high-quality research. A fundamental aspect of ensuring research quality in rehabilitation is adherence to ethical principles, which not only improve the study's quality but also safeguard the rights and address the needs of individuals with disabilities. Despite its importance, ethical considerations in rehabilitation research have received insufficient attention, and there is a lack of comprehensive insights into the challenges and ethical principles specific to this field. This study aims to review the concerns, challenges, and ethical principles pertinent to rehabilitation research.
This narrative review synthesizes existing evidence on ethics in rehabilitation research. A systematic search was conducted using English keywords such as "Ethics," "Rehabilitation," "People with Disabilities," "Disability," "Research," "Study," "Code of Conduct," "Challenge," "Issue," and "Concern" in databases including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to the year 2024. Additional searches were performed via Google Scholar and the reference lists of relevant articles and key journals. From 150 extracted studies, 21 articles were selected for full-text review after initial screening. Ultimately, nine studies meeting inclusion criteria (relevance, English language, and full-text access) were included in the final analysis. The findings revealed that ethical principles and guidelines in rehabilitation research receive less attention compared to research involving other vulnerable groups. In addition to the four primary ethical principles, rehabilitation research requires greater focus on specific areas, such as assessing the decision-making capacity of individuals with disabilities for voluntary participation and obtaining informed consent. Challenges including cognitive impairments, speech disorders, and the complexity of symptoms and their effects create difficulties for researchers in study design and execution, thereby impacting research quality. A critical ethical concern in rehabilitation research is the potential decline in research quality due to inherent challenges in conducting studies with individuals with disabilities. Researchers must be aware of these challenges before initiating their studies and approach rehabilitation research with a strong commitment to ethical practices. Establishing standards and ethical guidelines for this vulnerable population, along with oversight by ethics committees, can significantly enhance the ethical standards and quality of rehabilitation research. The findings of this review can assist researchers, managers, and policymakers in addressing these issues. Future efforts should prioritize the development of robust ethical frameworks for rehabilitation research.
This narrative review synthesizes existing evidence on ethics in rehabilitation research. A systematic search was conducted using English keywords such as "Ethics," "Rehabilitation," "People with Disabilities," "Disability," "Research," "Study," "Code of Conduct," "Challenge," "Issue," and "Concern" in databases including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to the year 2024. Additional searches were performed via Google Scholar and the reference lists of relevant articles and key journals. From 150 extracted studies, 21 articles were selected for full-text review after initial screening. Ultimately, nine studies meeting inclusion criteria (relevance, English language, and full-text access) were included in the final analysis. The findings revealed that ethical principles and guidelines in rehabilitation research receive less attention compared to research involving other vulnerable groups. In addition to the four primary ethical principles, rehabilitation research requires greater focus on specific areas, such as assessing the decision-making capacity of individuals with disabilities for voluntary participation and obtaining informed consent. Challenges including cognitive impairments, speech disorders, and the complexity of symptoms and their effects create difficulties for researchers in study design and execution, thereby impacting research quality. A critical ethical concern in rehabilitation research is the potential decline in research quality due to inherent challenges in conducting studies with individuals with disabilities. Researchers must be aware of these challenges before initiating their studies and approach rehabilitation research with a strong commitment to ethical practices. Establishing standards and ethical guidelines for this vulnerable population, along with oversight by ethics committees, can significantly enhance the ethical standards and quality of rehabilitation research. The findings of this review can assist researchers, managers, and policymakers in addressing these issues. Future efforts should prioritize the development of robust ethical frameworks for rehabilitation research.
Type of Study: Oral Presentation |
Subject:
Health Ethics Congress (11th) - Oral Presentation
Received: 2025/05/10 | Revised: 2026/01/12 | Accepted: 2024/12/22 | Published: 2024/12/22
Received: 2025/05/10 | Revised: 2026/01/12 | Accepted: 2024/12/22 | Published: 2024/12/22
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