IN SUPPORT OF SPECIAL PROTECTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL DISORDERS IN RESEARCH: AN INTERSECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE

In the federal regulations for human subject’s research, there are certain populations that have special protections because it is recognized that research with them raises unique ethical issues. One population that should have codified special protections in research are those with mental disorders. As a group, they are more likely to have diminished autonomy and decision making capacity, either because of the effects of their mental disorder or due to stigmas surrounding mental disorders. Persons with mental disorders are faced with prejudice in society, and remain a disproportionately disadvantaged population in the United States. In examining the multiple vulnerabilities that persons with mental disorders have and how these intersect, the importance of codified regulations becomes even more apparent to help improve and increase ethical treatments for these disorders. There are also issues regarding the current system of unethically including and excluding persons with mental disorders form research, calling into question the efficacy, safety and generalizability of the study results. There have been multiple sets of reports and recommendations published calling for the addition of special protections for people with mental disorders, however none have been incorporated into the federal regulations. I conclude my thesis by proposing my own set of recommendations.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Rautsola, Jonna Alice Elin

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/82226

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/82226