Examples of vulnerable groups include:
- Children and adolescents
- Individuals with cognitive impairments
- People with mental health challenges
- Elderly individuals with reduced functional capacity
- Individuals in dependent relationships (e.g., patients, students, inmates)
- People in crisis situations or with limited access to healthcare or legal protection
Ethical considerations when researching vulnerable groups:
- Consent: Ensure that participants are capable of giving informed consent. If not, consent must be obtained from a legal representative, and the participant’s own wishes must still be respected.
- Recruitment: Recruitment must be done in a way that avoids coercion or undue influence.
- Information: Information must be adapted to the target group’s level of understanding.
- Risk assessment: The project must assess whether participation may cause harm or discomfort, and how this will be prevented or mitigated.
- Follow-up: There must be a plan for follow-up and support for participants during and after the study.
Responsibility:
The project manager is responsible for ensuring that vulnerable participants are treated with respect and care, and that the project complies with ethical guidelines and legal requirements.
Resources:
- National Research Ethics Guidelines
- REK (Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics)
- Sikt – Data Protection Services
- USN’s Research Ethics Support: forskningsetikk@usn.no