The challenge of cross-cultural collaborative research: lessons learnt from a pilot case-crossover study of severe occupational hand trauma in the People's Republic of China.

OBJECTIVE

A pilot epidemiologic study was conducted in the People's Republic of China to assess the feasibility of applying the study protocol from a US case-crossover study on transient work-related exposures and the risk of an acute occupational hand injury.

DESIGN

Injured workers were recruited from a hand surgery center in Ningbo, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China. A structured face-to-face interview questionnaire was administered.

RESULTS

156 workers with hand injury completed the study (73% men). The enrollment rate was 91%. Of those who refused participation, most indicated their reluctance was due to the requirement to sign the written consent form. Considerable variability was found among interviewers in ascertaining responses from participants to important exposure questions (21.3% v 97%).

CONCLUSIONS

Recommendations include the following: (1) exploring effective oral-consent protocols that reduce participant concern and still meet human participant protection requirements; (2) using non-physician interviewers; and (3) increasing the intensity and standardization of interviewer training.