Table 6 Scores and subscores
39 participants who completed the 110 questionnaire’s items | 4 chairs of RECs | 34 ordinary members of RECs | 1 vice-president | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall score | |||||
Mean ± standard deviation (points over 175) | 129.6 ± 22.3 | 134.5 ± 15.8 | 129.2 ± 23.4 | 124 | |
Median (points over 175) | 133 | 137 | 133 | – | |
Minimum; maximum | 54; 158 | 113; 151 | 54; 158 | – | |
Score interpretation: adherence to chapters II and IV of the ‘Standards and Operational Guidance for Ethics Review of Health-Related Research with Human Participants’ [14] | Excellent adherence | Excellent adherence | Excellent adherence | Excellent adherence | |
Subscores | |||||
Organisational aspects | Mean ± standard deviation (points over 54) | 33.4 ± 7.5 | 33.6 ± 6.0 | 33.4 ± 7.9 | 30 |
Median (points over 54) | 35 | 36 | 35 | – | |
Minimum; maximum | 16; 43 | 25; 38 | 16; 43 | – | |
Membership and educational training | Mean ± standard deviation (points over 30) | 16.6 ± 7.6 | 18.0 ± 7.7 | 16.6 ± 7.8. | 13 |
Median (points over 30) | 16 | 16.5 | 16 | – | |
Minimum; maximum | 6; 28 | 11; 28 | 6; 28 | – | |
Submission arrangements and materials | Mean ± standard deviation (points over 7) | 6.3 ± 0.9 | 7.0 ± 0.0 | 6.2 ± 1.0 | 6 |
Median (points over 7) | 7 | 7 | 6.5 | – | |
Minimum; maximum | 4; 7 | 7; 7 | 4; 7 | – | |
Policies referring to review procedures | Mean ± standard deviation (points over 9) | 7.6 ± 1.7 | 8.3 ± 1.0 | 7.6 ± 1.8 | 7 |
Median (points over 9) | 8 | 8.5 | 8 | – | |
Minimum; maximum | 2; 9 | 7; 9 | 2; 9 | – | |
Review of specific protocol items | Mean ± standard deviation (points over 38) | 35.6 ± 3.6 | 35.8 ± 1.7 | 35.7 ± 3.9 | 34 |
Median (points over 38) | 36 | 35.5 | 36 | – | |
Minimum; maximum | 16; 38 | 34; 38 | 16; 38 | – | |
Communicating a decision (approval letter) | Mean ± standard deviation (points over 5) | 4.1 ± 1.3 | 4.0 ± 1.0 | 4.1 ± 1.3 | 3 |
Median (points over 5) | 5 | 4 | 4 | – | |
Minimum; maximum | 0; 5 | 3; 5 | 0; 5 | – | |
Continuing review | Mean ± standard deviation (points over 16) | 14.0 ± 4.0 | 14.0 ± 4.0 | 13.9 ± 4.2 | 15 |
Median (points over 16) | 16 | 16 | 16 | – | |
Minimum; maximum | 0; 16 | 0; 16 | 0; 16 | – | |
REC resources | Mean ± standard deviation (points over 16) | 12.6 ± 3.5 | 15.3 ± 1.5 | 12.4 ± 3.6 | 16 |
Median (points over 16) | 14 | 16 | 14 | – | |
Minimum; maximum | 1; 16 | 13; 16 | 1; 16 | – | |