Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41854370›Full record

ArticleJournal of empirical research on human research ethics : JERHRE2026

Implications of COVID-19 Restrictions on the Ethics and Methods of a Multi-Site Study on Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Use Treatment among Men in South Africa.

Neo K Morojele, Leslie London, Amina Saban, Bronwyn Myers, Nadine Harker, Kebogile Mokwena, Zukiswa Zingela, Sebenzile Nkosi, Philip Ayieko, Saidi Kapiga

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of empirical research on human research ethics : JERHRE, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Neo K MorojeleDepartment of Psychology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-2891-2557
Leslie LondonSchool of Public Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Amina SabanSchool of Public Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0001-5418-6419
Bronwyn MyersMental Health, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-0235-6716
Nadine HarkerSchool of Public Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-0850-541X
Kebogile MokwenaDepartment of Public Health, School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-0257-0520
Zukiswa ZingelaExecutive Dean's Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-3425-1145
Sebenzile NkosiDepartment of Psychology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0001-9901-1508
Philip AyiekoMwanza Intervention Trials Unit/National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.ORCID 0000-0002-7147-7354
Saidi KapigaMwanza Intervention Trials Unit/National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Public health measures for medical emergencies generate methodological and ethical challenges for human research. Using Emanuel et al.'s framework, we assessed the ethical integrity of the research methods used in a men's alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorder study following their revision due to COVID-19 restrictions in South Africa. Following the amendments, the study's social value, favorable risk-benefit ratio, and respect for participants increased. Collaborative partnership, scientific validity, fair participant selection, independent review, and informed consent improved in terms of successful stakeholder engagements and interviewing procedures, but were compromised due to a cellphone access eligibility criterion and complicated consenting procedures. Methodological and ethical challenges of research during health emergencies can be navigated with flexibility and innovation.

Indexed as

Ethics, ResearchResearch DesignSubstance-Related DisordersCOVID-19HumansInfection ControlInformed ConsentMalePandemicsPatient SelectionSouth Africaalcohol and other drug use researchcollaborative partnershipsCOVID-19Emanuel et al. ethical principlesethical principlesflexibilityhealth emergencies

Identifiers

PMID41854370
PMCPMC13250275

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.