An app for reporting
environmental odors
Portland
State University
Consent to Participate in Research
January, 2017
Introduction
You are being asked to participate in a research
study that is being done by PI Dr. Linda George and post-doctoral researcher
Dr. Meenakshi Rao from the Sustainable
Atmospheres Research (STAR) Lab in the Department of Environmental Sciences and
Management, at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. This research
aims to map noxious environmental odors in Portland Metro neighborhoods.
You are being asked to participate in this study because you
may reside in a neighborhood that has experienced environmental odors in the
past. This form will explain the research study, and will also explain the
possible risks as well as the possible benefits to you. We encourage you to
discuss your participation with your family, friends, and neighbors before you
decide to take part in this research study. If you have any questions, please
ask one of the study investigators.
What will
happen if I decide to participate?
If you agree to participate, you will be
asked to report environmental odors using either the phone or web app. The app
will guide you in categorizing the odor and its strength. The app will
automatically record your location (if you agree to share it) and the time of
the report. The odor data from all participants will be displayed on a publicly
available website. Note no personal information is collected.
How long
will I be in this study?
The length of your participation in this is
purely voluntary – from one day to as long as the app is maintained.
What are the
risks or side effects of being in this study?
To the best of our knowledge, there are no
risks associated with your participation in this project. Odor reports are at
your convenience, and, as no personal data is collected, there are no issues
with privacy and confidentiality.
Please contact the investigators if you have any
reservations or questions about the risks of participating in this study.
What are the
benefits to being in this study?
There are no
direct benefits for participating in this study. However, by collecting and
mapping data from neighborhoods that suffer from noxious odors, neighborhood
groups and researchers can develop a better understanding of the extent and
temporal patterns of odors. This information is useful in both identifying and
mitigating the impact of noxious odors on quality of life.
How will my
information be kept confidential?
Downloads of the phone app are anonymous,
that is, no contact information needs to be entered to download the app. The
app itself does not request any personal information, not even email address of
the participants. Hence, we believe, maintaining confidentiality is not an
issue for this project.
***** Your name will not be used in any
published reports about this study.
********
Information
contained in your study records is used by study staff. The Portland State
University Institutional Review Board (IRB) that oversees human subject
research and/or other entities may be permitted to access your records, and
there may be times when we are required by law to share your information. It is the investigator’s legal obligation to
report child abuse, child neglect, elder abuse, harm to self or others or any
life-threatening situation to the appropriate authorities, and; therefore, your
confidentiality will not be maintained.
Will I be
paid for taking part in this study?
No.
Can I stop
being in the study once I begin?
Your participation in this study is
completely voluntary. You have the right to choose not to participate or to
withdraw your participation at any point in this study.
Whom can I
call with questions or complaints about this study?
If you have any questions, concerns or
complaints at any time about the research study, Dr. George or her associates
will be glad to answer them at 503-725-3861. Voicemail may be left at this
number after hours or on weekends.
Whom can I
call with questions about my rights as a research participant?
If you have questions regarding your rights
as a research participant, you may call the PSU Office for Research Integrity
at (503) 725-2227 or 1(877) 480-4400. The ORI is the office that supports the
PSU Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is a group of people from PSU and
the community who provide independent oversight of safety and ethical issues
related to research involving human participants. For more information, you may
also access the IRB website at https://sites.google.com/a/pdx.edu/research/integrity.
CONSENT
Participation in this research is
completely voluntarily. Your participation indicates your consent. However, you
may stop participation at any time without penalty.
For more information about the project, you
may contact Dr. George at 503-725-8861.