Community engagement approaches and lessons learned: a case study of the PRECISE pregnancy cohort study in Kenya

The PRECISE Network

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1439150

Community engagement approaches and lessons learned: a case study of the PRECISE pregnancy cohort study in Kenya

The PRECISE Network

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Community engagement (CE) has been recommended as an important ethical consideration for health research to enhance informed consent and exchange knowledge between researchers and community members. The purpose of this paper is to describe how CE was developed and delivered for the PRECISE prospective pregnancy cohort study in Kenya. PRECISE enrolled pregnant women in antenatal care, followed them up to the postpartum period, and collected data and biological samples to enable the study of placental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. Initially CE was aimed at informing the community about the study, establishing community-wide acceptance of the research and addressing concerns about biological sample collection to facilitate participation in the study. CE later evolved to be a platform for mutual learning aiming to deepen the community’s understanding of research principles and informed consent and providing a feedback loop to researchers. We engaged diverse stakeholders including health workers and managers, local administrators, religious and traditional leaders, older women, pregnant women, non-pregnant women and men. We utilized a variety of CE approaches and tools adapting to the specific contextual factors at the study sites. Achievements included widespread understanding of informed consent and research principles, clarification of misconceptions, and dispelling of fears regarding biological sample collection. The relationship with the community was strengthened evidenced by frequent inquiries and active participation in CE activities and the research study. For effective CE, we recommend involvement of community members in the CE team and continuous and adaptive CE throughout the study period.

Original language	English
Article number	1439150
Journal	Frontiers in Public Health
Volume	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1439150
Publication status	Published - 2025

Keywords

cohort studies
community engagement
community participation
Kenya
lessons learnt
pregnancy

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3389/fpubh.2025.1439150

Cite this

@article{2e35638dc9f64847840a2313c9d3c288,

title = "Community engagement approaches and lessons learned: a case study of the PRECISE pregnancy cohort study in Kenya",

abstract = "Community engagement (CE) has been recommended as an important ethical consideration for health research to enhance informed consent and exchange knowledge between researchers and community members. The purpose of this paper is to describe how CE was developed and delivered for the PRECISE prospective pregnancy cohort study in Kenya. PRECISE enrolled pregnant women in antenatal care, followed them up to the postpartum period, and collected data and biological samples to enable the study of placental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. Initially CE was aimed at informing the community about the study, establishing community-wide acceptance of the research and addressing concerns about biological sample collection to facilitate participation in the study. CE later evolved to be a platform for mutual learning aiming to deepen the community{\textquoteright}s understanding of research principles and informed consent and providing a feedback loop to researchers. We engaged diverse stakeholders including health workers and managers, local administrators, religious and traditional leaders, older women, pregnant women, non-pregnant women and men. We utilized a variety of CE approaches and tools adapting to the specific contextual factors at the study sites. Achievements included widespread understanding of informed consent and research principles, clarification of misconceptions, and dispelling of fears regarding biological sample collection. The relationship with the community was strengthened evidenced by frequent inquiries and active participation in CE activities and the research study. For effective CE, we recommend involvement of community members in the CE team and continuous and adaptive CE throughout the study period.",

keywords = "cohort studies, community engagement, community participation, Kenya, lessons learnt, pregnancy",

author = "{The PRECISE Network} and Onesmus Wanje and Angela Koech and Kinshella, {Mai Lei Woo} and Grace Mwashigadi and Alice Kombo and Grace Maitha and Nathan Barreh and Mistry, {Hiten D.} and Marianne Vidler and Rachel Craik and Volvert, {Marie Laure} and {von Dadelszen}, Peter and Marleen Temmerman and {A. Magee}, Laura and Joseph Akuze and Abdoulie Bah and Yorro Bah and Mwanajuma Bakari and Benjamin Barratt and Christine Baya and Kelvin Baya and Hannah Blencowe and Helena Boene and Jeff Bone and Carla Carrilho and Judith Cartwright and Rachel Craik and Umberto D{\textquoteright}Alessandro and Shilla Dama and Brahima Diallo and {F.S. Ndure}, Modou and Veronique Filippi and Gibril Gabbidon and Ursula Gazeley and Lawrence Gibba and Yahaya Idris and Hawanatu Jah and Consolata Juma and Sharon Konde and Fatoumata Kongira and Sanjeev Krishna and Joy Lawn and Jing Li and Salesio Macuacua and Liberty Makacha and Hiten Mistry and Sophie Moore and Tatiana Salisbury and Rachel Tribe and Volvert, {Marie Laure}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2025 Wanje, Koech, Kinshella, Mwashigadi, Kombo, Maitha, Barreh, Mistry, Vidler, Craik, Volvert, von Dadelszen, Temmerman and The PRECISE Network.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.3389/fpubh.2025.1439150",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

journal = "Frontiers in Public Health",

issn = "2296-2565",

publisher = "Frontiers Media S.A.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Community engagement approaches and lessons learned

T2 - a case study of the PRECISE pregnancy cohort study in Kenya

AU - The PRECISE Network

AU - Wanje, Onesmus

AU - Koech, Angela

AU - Kinshella, Mai Lei Woo

AU - Mwashigadi, Grace

AU - Kombo, Alice

AU - Maitha, Grace

AU - Barreh, Nathan

AU - Mistry, Hiten D.

AU - Vidler, Marianne

AU - Craik, Rachel

AU - Volvert, Marie Laure

AU - von Dadelszen, Peter

AU - Temmerman, Marleen

AU - A. Magee, Laura

AU - Akuze, Joseph

AU - Bah, Abdoulie

AU - Bah, Yorro

AU - Bakari, Mwanajuma

AU - Barratt, Benjamin

AU - Baya, Christine

AU - Baya, Kelvin

AU - Blencowe, Hannah

AU - Boene, Helena

AU - Bone, Jeff

AU - Carrilho, Carla

AU - Cartwright, Judith

AU - Craik, Rachel

AU - D’Alessandro, Umberto

AU - Dama, Shilla

AU - Diallo, Brahima

AU - F.S. Ndure, Modou

AU - Filippi, Veronique

AU - Gabbidon, Gibril

AU - Gazeley, Ursula

AU - Gibba, Lawrence

AU - Idris, Yahaya

AU - Jah, Hawanatu

AU - Juma, Consolata

AU - Konde, Sharon

AU - Kongira, Fatoumata

AU - Krishna, Sanjeev

AU - Lawn, Joy

AU - Li, Jing

AU - Macuacua, Salesio

AU - Makacha, Liberty

AU - Mistry, Hiten

AU - Moore, Sophie

AU - Salisbury, Tatiana

AU - Tribe, Rachel

AU - Volvert, Marie Laure

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Community engagement (CE) has been recommended as an important ethical consideration for health research to enhance informed consent and exchange knowledge between researchers and community members. The purpose of this paper is to describe how CE was developed and delivered for the PRECISE prospective pregnancy cohort study in Kenya. PRECISE enrolled pregnant women in antenatal care, followed them up to the postpartum period, and collected data and biological samples to enable the study of placental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. Initially CE was aimed at informing the community about the study, establishing community-wide acceptance of the research and addressing concerns about biological sample collection to facilitate participation in the study. CE later evolved to be a platform for mutual learning aiming to deepen the community’s understanding of research principles and informed consent and providing a feedback loop to researchers. We engaged diverse stakeholders including health workers and managers, local administrators, religious and traditional leaders, older women, pregnant women, non-pregnant women and men. We utilized a variety of CE approaches and tools adapting to the specific contextual factors at the study sites. Achievements included widespread understanding of informed consent and research principles, clarification of misconceptions, and dispelling of fears regarding biological sample collection. The relationship with the community was strengthened evidenced by frequent inquiries and active participation in CE activities and the research study. For effective CE, we recommend involvement of community members in the CE team and continuous and adaptive CE throughout the study period.

AB - Community engagement (CE) has been recommended as an important ethical consideration for health research to enhance informed consent and exchange knowledge between researchers and community members. The purpose of this paper is to describe how CE was developed and delivered for the PRECISE prospective pregnancy cohort study in Kenya. PRECISE enrolled pregnant women in antenatal care, followed them up to the postpartum period, and collected data and biological samples to enable the study of placental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. Initially CE was aimed at informing the community about the study, establishing community-wide acceptance of the research and addressing concerns about biological sample collection to facilitate participation in the study. CE later evolved to be a platform for mutual learning aiming to deepen the community’s understanding of research principles and informed consent and providing a feedback loop to researchers. We engaged diverse stakeholders including health workers and managers, local administrators, religious and traditional leaders, older women, pregnant women, non-pregnant women and men. We utilized a variety of CE approaches and tools adapting to the specific contextual factors at the study sites. Achievements included widespread understanding of informed consent and research principles, clarification of misconceptions, and dispelling of fears regarding biological sample collection. The relationship with the community was strengthened evidenced by frequent inquiries and active participation in CE activities and the research study. For effective CE, we recommend involvement of community members in the CE team and continuous and adaptive CE throughout the study period.

KW - cohort studies

KW - community engagement

KW - community participation

KW - Kenya

KW - lessons learnt

KW - pregnancy

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105002036257&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1439150

DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1439150

M3 - Article

C2 - 40135158

AN - SCOPUS:105002036257

SN - 2296-2565

VL - 13

JO - Frontiers in Public Health

JF - Frontiers in Public Health

M1 - 1439150

ER -

Community engagement approaches and lessons learned: a case study of the PRECISE pregnancy cohort study in Kenya

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this