The promise of data science for health research in Africa

Clement A Adebamowo^{1

2}, Shawneequa Callier^{3

4}, Simisola Akintola^{5

6

7}, Oluchi Maduka⁵, Ayodele Jegede^{5

7

8}, Christopher Arima⁹, Temidayo Ogundiran^{5

7

10}, Sally N Adebamowo^{11

5}; BridgELSI Project as part of the DS-I Africa Consortium

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. cadebamowo@som.umaryland.edu.
² Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria. cadebamowo@som.umaryland.edu.
³ Department of Clinical Research and Leadership, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.
⁴ Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
⁵ Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁶ Department of Business Law, Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁷ Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁸ Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁹ Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, NY, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
¹¹ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

PMID: 37770478
PMCID: PMC10539491
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41809-2

Review

The promise of data science for health research in Africa

Clement A Adebamowo et al. Nat Commun. 2023.

. 2023 Sep 29;14(1):6084.

doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-41809-2.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. cadebamowo@som.umaryland.edu.
² Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria. cadebamowo@som.umaryland.edu.
³ Department of Clinical Research and Leadership, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.
⁴ Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
⁵ Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁶ Department of Business Law, Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁷ Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁸ Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
⁹ Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, NY, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
¹¹ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

PMID: 37770478
PMCID: PMC10539491
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41809-2

Abstract

Data science health research promises tremendous benefits for African populations, but its implementation is fraught with substantial ethical governance risks that could thwart the delivery of these anticipated benefits. We discuss emerging efforts to build ethical governance frameworks for data science health research in Africa and the opportunities to advance these through investments by African governments and institutions, international funding organizations and collaborations for research and capacity development.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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The promise of data science for health research in Africa

Affiliations

The promise of data science for health research in Africa

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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