Transparent reporting of recruitment and informed consent approaches in clinical trials recruiting children with minor parents in sub-Saharan Africa: a secondary analysis based on a systematic review

Table 3 Proxy decision-maker types, subtypes, and numbers mentioned across CT publications and supplementary material

Proxy decision-maker description	n	(%)
Total	77	(100.0)
Parents	30	(39.0)
Unspecified parents	23	(29.9)
- Unspecified number	15	(19.5)
- One^a	8	(10.3)
Mother	4	(5.2)
Mother involving fathers/partners/husbands involved in the decision-making	1	(1.3)
Mother able to understand study procedures and give consent/of a specific age	2	(2.6)
Parents or guardians	28	(36.4)
Unspecified parents or guardians	21	(27.3)
- Unspecified number	13	(16.9)
- One^a	6	(7.8)
- At least one	1	(1.3)
- Each	1	(1.3)
Parents or legal guardians/legally acceptable representatives	4	(5.2)
- Unspecified number	2	(2.6)
- One^a	1	(1.3)
- Each	1	(1.3)
Parents or guardians of legal age/adult/with the ability to give informed consent	3	(3.9)
- Unspecified number	2	(2.6)
- One^a	1	(1.3)
Caregivers (incl. Caretaker, carer)	10	(13.0)
Unspecified caregivers	5	(6.5)
- Unspecified number	3	(3.9)
- One^a	1	(1.3)
- At least one	1	(1.3)
Family	3	(3.9)
- Unspecified number	3	(3.9)
Primary caregiver (Mother/Father/Legal guardian)	2	(2.6)
- One^a	2	(2.6)
Guardians	9	(11.7)
Unspecified guardians	3	(3.9)
- One^a	2	(2.6)
- At least one	1	(1.3)
Authorised/identifiable/legal guardian	5	(6.5)
- One^a	3	(3.9)
- At least one	2	(2.6)
Guardian capable of providing consent	1	(1.3)
- One^a	1	(1.3)

^a Single proxy decision-makers were counted whenever the singular was employed to refer to consent by a parent/guardian. When consent was provided by mothers with no other specification, only one decision-maker was counted. Otherwise, terms in their plural form, as well as the designation of “parental” were recorded as “unspecified number”, unless other indications regarding multiple consenters were provided

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