Survey access portal

Dear Potential Participant,
You are invited to participate in a research study on climate anxiety among young people in Sault. Ste. Marie. You are being requested to participate in this study because you have important experiences, perspectives, and ideas to share.

 

The study is titled “Youth, climate anxiety, and mental health in Sault Ste. Marie''. Taking part in this study is voluntary. To participate you must be between the ages of 15 and 26 years old and live and/or go to school in Sault Ste. Marie.. Before you decide whether or not you would like to participate, please read this information carefully to understand what is involved.

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Why is this research important?

This research will generate new knowledge and baseline data on climate anxiety, coping with climate anxiety, and climate action among youth in Sault Ste. Marie. Findings will inform the development of tools, processes, and actions for addressing climate anxiety.

 

What is involved in the study?

If you agree to voluntarily participate in this study, participation will involve completing an online survey with 15 questions that will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. The survey includes questions about your thoughts and feelings in relation to climate change, perspectives on the future, experiences coping with climate anxiety, and perspectives on climate action.

 

Are there any risks to participating in this study?

There are no foreseeable risks or harm to participating in this study. There are no costs to you, aside from your time. While the questions within the survey have not been crafted to elicit emotional responses, some respondents may have emotional responses such as stress or anxiety. If you think that you would like psychological support before or during the interview, Kids Help Phone is accessible to all Canadian aged 15 - 29 years who want confidential and anonymous care from trained responders (Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free), text CONNECT to 686868 or access support through Facebook Messenger see the Kids Help Phone website). Also, you may skip questions or exit the survey at any time, for any reason, and without consequence.

 

Are there any benefits of participating?

This research will not benefit you directly, although you may enjoy sharing your perspectives on and experiences of climate change. We expect that the research will make a positive contribution to society by generating new knowledge and informing action.

 

How will confidentiality be maintained?

Should you agree to participate in this study, you will be participating anonymously. We do not ask your name in the survey.

*Please note that the online survey tool used in the study, Google Forms, is hosted by a server located in the USA. The US Patriot Act permits U.S. law enforcement officials, for the purpose of anti-terrorism investigation, to seek a court order that allows access to the personal records of any person without the person’s knowledge. In view of this, we cannot absolutely guarantee the full confidentiality and anonymity of your data. Use of a TOR Browser or VPN to complete the survey may mitigate that risk. With your consent to participate in this study, you acknowledge this.

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What are my rights as a participant?

Your participation in this study is voluntary and you have the right to refuse to participate. If you decide to participate, you may still choose to withdraw from the study for whatever reason and without prejudice. There are no consequences to withdrawing. In cases of withdrawal, any data you provided will not be saved. You may also decline to answer any questions.

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How can I withdraw from the study?

Because the survey is anonymous, once you have clicked submit at the end of the survey, your results cannot be withdrawn. However, if at any point during the survey you would like to skip a question or withdraw your responses you can stop answering the survey without any consequence.

 

What will the data be used for?

The research team will have access to the use anonymized data and will use the data to develop a baseline understanding of experiences with climate emotions and climate anxiety among young people in Sault Ste. Marie. We expect to share findings in a report, an infographic and via a conference and a webinar.

 

How will data be stored?

Data collected during this study will be kept on a password-protected computer in a locked and secure office space in Lakehead University’s Department of Health Sciences. Data will be stored in a secure online environment. Data will be stored for at least 7 years after the completion of the study.

 

How can I access study results?

We expect to have study results available in 2024. You can receive the study results by contacting Dr. Robert Rattle (see below). We will also share outcomes on the Crane Institute for Sustainability website.

 

Where does funding for this study come from?

This study is funded by the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

 

Who to contact if you have questions?

If you have questions or need more information about the study, please contact the co-principal investigator, Robert Rattle through the Crane Institute contact form here.

 

Study team:

Dr. Lindsay Galway, co-principal investigator

Lakehead University, Dept. of Health Sciences

t: 807-766-7280

 

Dr. Robert Rattle, co-principal investigator

Crane Institute for Sustainability

email through Crane Institute contact form

 

THANK YOU for your time and participation.

This research study has been reviewed and approved by the Lakehead University Research Ethics Board. If you have any questions related to the ethics of the research and would like to speak to someone outside of the research team, please contact Sue Wright at the Research Ethics Board at 807-343-8283 or research@lakeheadu.ca.

 

 

YOUR CONSENT:

 

Taking part in this study is entirely up to you. You have the right to refuse to participate in this study. If you decide to take part, you may choose to withdraw from the study up until data are submitted without giving a reason and without any negative consequence to you.

 

You agree to the following:

• You have read and understood the information in the Information letter.

• You are a volunteer and freely agree to participate.

• You are between the ages of 15 and 25 years of age

• You understand the risks and benefits of the study.

• You can withdraw from the study while completing the survey without negative consequences. However, once you have completed the survey and submitted your responses, you cannot withdraw because the survey is anonymous.

• You will remain anonymous.

• You understand that the response that you provide in the survey may be used in a report and/or publication but you will not be identified.

• The research findings will be available upon request.

• The survey data will be securely stored at Lakehead University for a minimum of 7 years following the completion of this study.

 

I have read and agreed to the above information and consent to proceed to the online survey.