School of Psychology
Deakin University

Your Consent
You are invited to take part in this research project. This Plain Language Statement contains detailed information about the research project. Its purpose is to explain to you as openly and clearly as possible all the procedures involved in this project so that you can make a fully informed decision whether you are going to participate.

Please read this Plain Language Statement carefully. Feel free to ask questions about any information in the document.  You may also wish to discuss the project with a relative or friend or your local health worker. Feel free to do this.

Once you understand what the project is about and if you agree to take part in it, you will be asked to give electronic consent by clicking a button labelled ‘I Consent’. By clicking the ‘I Consent’ button, you indicate that you understand the information and that you give your consent to participate in the research project.

You may print a copy of the Plain Language Statement and Consent Form to keep as a record.
        

Purpose and Background
The aim of this study is to develop an understanding of the perceptions that members of the general public have with regards to aspects of chronic illness. Chronic illnesses are those that last for approximately six months or more. Examples of chronic illnesses are diabetes, multiple sclerosis or heart disease.

Previous research has shown that people with chronic illnesses differ in the way that they undertake standard treatment. This may be due to a number of factors such as the financial cost of treatment, the age of the person or the invasiveness of the treatment program. One aspect that might influence a person’s approach to treatment is their own attitudes and beliefs about their illness. We are aiming to investigate the attitudes and beliefs that members of the general public hold about certain illnesses.

Health professionals and people who have experienced a chronic illness (either as a sufferer or carer of someone with a chronic illness) have illness perceptions based on experience. In contrast, healthy people (who do not work in a health care role) may hold varying attitudes and beliefs about the causes of chronic illnesses, as well as an individual’s capacity to control their illness.

You are invited to participate in this research project because you are a member of the general public.An approximate total of 300 people will participate in this project.

The results of this research may be used to help researcher Emma Anderson to obtain an Honours in Psychology degree. This study is being conducted as part of a wider research program that has been developed as part of a PhD thesis in the area of Psychology.
        

Funding
This research is totally funded by the Deakin University School of Psychology.

        
Procedures
Participation in this project will involve completing a survey about your views or understanding of one of six chronic illnesses. Should you wish to participate, you will be randomly assigned an illness and asked to indicate your agreement or disagreement to a number of statements. An example of a statement is ‘The symptoms of [this illness] change a great deal from day to day’. There are 56 statements and a number of symptoms for you to indicate your agreement or disagreement with. The survey should take no longer than 25 minutes to complete.  

        
Possible Benefits
Possible benefits include improved public education programs aimed at demystifying chronic illnesses that may have stigma attached to their title.
        

Possible Risks
No risk to an individual has been identified in this study. If you have any concerns regarding your wellbeing, you are encouraged to contact the principal researchers, Sharon Horwood or Luke Xantidis, whose contact details are at the bottom of this Plain Language Statement. 
        

Privacy, Confidentiality and Disclosure of Information
Any information obtained in connection with this project will remain confidential. It will only be disclosed with your permission, subject to legal requirements. The information we request does not include your name, address or any other details that may be used to identify you.
In any publication, information will be provided in such a way that you cannot be identified
        

Results of Project
The results of the study may be published in a scientific journal. The researchers will not be able to notify individual participants of the results due to there being no identifying information collected.
        

Participation is Voluntary
Participation in any research project is voluntary. If you do not wish to take part you are not obliged to. If you decide to take part and later change your mind, you are free to withdraw from the project at any stage and may do so by simply closing your web browser. Any information obtained from you to date will not be used and will be destroyed. Your decision whether to take part or not, or to take part and then withdraw, will not affect yourrelationship with Deakin University. Before you make your decision, a member of the research team will be available to answer any questions you have about the research project. You can ask for any information you would like. Click the ‘Consent’ button only after you have had a chance to ask your questions and have received satisfactory answers.
        

Ethical Guidelines
This project will be carried out according to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) produced by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. This statement has been developed to protect the interests of people who agree to participate in human research studies.

The ethics aspects of this research project have been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of Deakin University.
       

Complaints
If you have any complaints about any aspect of the project, the way it is being conducted or any questions about your rights as a research participant, then you may contact: The Manager, Office of Research Integrity, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood Victoria 3125, Telephone: 9251 7129, Facsimile: 9244 6581; research-ethics@deakin.edu.au.

Please quote project number EC 2011-072.
       

Reimbursement for your costs
You will not be paid for your participation in this project.
       

Further Information, Queries or Any Problems
If you require further information, wish to withdraw your participation or if you have any problems concerning this project (for example, any side effects), you can contact the principal researcher. The researchers responsible for this project are:

Sharon Horwood
School of Psychology
DeakinUniversity
Warrnambool
03 55633294
shorwood@deakin.edu.au

Luke Xantidis
School of Psychology
DeakinUniversity
Warrnambool
03 55633154
lukex@deakin.edu.au

Consent Form

If you do not wish to participate in this project, you may click on the following button to return to the Deakin University homepage: