Table 1.

Summary of participants’ hopes, fears and anxieties, by case study

Participants’ views	RSV study	Malaria study
Participants’ hopes
High quality healthcare	Free healthcare for participants and family members during trial; provision of community level benefits (eg, boosting health facilities).	As with RSV study.
Research optimism, that is, the research will be successful	Positive research results will lead to a vaccine being available soon. Contributing to benefits for future generations.	Vaccine perceived as already working. Pleased to be pioneer beneficiary of a ‘successful vaccine’. Will benefit future generations.
Fears and anxieties
Study procedures	NFS safety. Concern about transmitting infections, frequency and depth of NFS could lead to brain damage and future health problems.	Worries of severe adverse events and volumes of blood. Fears that infantometer for weighing babies symbolises a coffin.
Association with KEMRI activities	Worries that the research programme isinvolved in devil worship, linked to wealth, free study benefits.	Same as RSV study, worries also associated with blood samples.
Particular sensitivities/confusions in ICF information	Terminologies and concepts in consent forms, for example, information about RSV.	Anxieties around Information and Consent Forms (ICF) information, for example, randomisation, trial, placebo, compensation and confidentiality.
FW competence	FWs’ ability to perform NFS safely.

FW, fieldworker; NFS, nasopharyngeal flocked swab; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus.