Population Survey

The population survey is the second aim of the BridgELSI project, and the goal is to prospectively assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of key stakeholders regarding the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of data science health research in Nigeria.

This survey is designed to be conducted repeatedly over time, enabling us to observe trends and changes in KAP as data science health research projects and innovations continue to evolve in the country. Our hypothesis is that increased exposure to these projects will lead to improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and practices among stakeholders.

Participants include members of the general public, ethics committee members, data scientists, and biomedical researchers.

Data Collection Tool

For the first round of the survey, we developed complementary questionnaires tailored to different stakeholder groups:

Ethics committee members: Questions explored their roles and experiences on ethics committees, length of service, preparedness for reviews, and the availability of AI/data science guidelines.
Data scientists and biomedical researchers: Questions focused on their professional roles, familiarity with ethics guidelines, and experiences obtaining IRB approval.
General public: A questionnaire structured between the two above, covering demographics, education, professional background, perceptions of ethical oversight, concerns about governance, and preferences for regulatory improvements.
Each questionnaire began with demographic and background information, followed by sections assessing perceptions of ethical oversight, responsibility for governance, and priorities for strengthening regulation. The tailored sections ensured that the unique perspectives of each stakeholder group were captured.

Status

First round completed: The survey included 679 participants, and the data have been analyzed. Findings are currently being prepared for publication in a manuscript.
Second round planned (2026): The next survey will build upon the findings from the first round, allowing us to track changes in KAP over time