Dr. Souci Frissa
The BRC Nucleus
P.O. Box 92, Mapother House
London SE5 8AF
Tel: 0203 2288550
Email: [email protected]
INFORMATION SHEET FOR PARTICIPANTS
REC Protocol Number: PNM/10/11-106
Study title: Follow Up of the Physical and Mental Health in South East London Cross-Sectional Study
(South East London Community Health (SELCoH) Study, Part 2)
YOU WILL BE GIVEN A COPY OF THIS INFORMATION SHEET
You have been asked to participate in this original research project organised by King’s College London and
funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and King’s College London National Institute of Health
Research Biomedical Research Centre. If you complete the study we will pay you £15 as a “thank you” for
your time, and you may have the opportunity to earn additional compensation by completing additional substudies.
This research project is a “follow up” to the South East London Community Health (SELCoH) study that you
participated in sometime in 2008-2010.
Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask us if
there is anything that is not clear or if you wish to know more.
You should only participate if you want to; choosing not to take part will not disadvantage you in any way.
Before you decide whether you want to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is
being done and what your participation will involve.
What is the purpose of this study?
* The first aim of the survey is to see if there have been any changes in your health, wellbeing, and health
service use since we last spoke to you. This will enable us to suggest more effective services for certain
groups.
* The second aim is to document a wide range of unfair treatment and other types of stress that people may
experience in their lives, and to see how this unfair treatment affects their health and their ability to
function in everyday situations.
* The third aim is to see how policies and social situations in the UK have impacted health and well-being
over time. This will help us to work out how similar or different the people’s health and health service use is
in the UK compared to other countries, like the US.
* Finally, some people may be eligible to answer additional questions (only if they would like to) on a few
specific topics that we covered in our first survey. We are conducting some optional sub-studies in order to
get more detailed information on topics such as eating habits, body image, material possessions and
personality characteristics.
Why have I been invited?
We are asking residents from Lambeth and Southwark, aged 16 years and older, that formerly participated in
the South East London Community Health Survey (SELCoH survey) to help us by taking part in this study.
Do I have to take part?
No. It is entirely up to you to decide whether or not to take part. You can decide not to take part but still
continue with the main study. If you decide not to take part, any care you are receiving from the NHS will not
change in any way. Even if you decide to take part, you may leave the study at any time, without giving a
reason.
What will I be asked if I take part in the study?
If you agree to participate you will be given a copy of this information sheet and asked to sign a consent
form. You will then be asked to complete an interview in a location of your choice which will take about 60
minutes. The interview will include questions regarding your experiences of a range of stresses and strains,
including experiences of unfair treatment, and we are particularly interested in how difficulties in living may
impact your current mental and physical health. We will also ask you questions about health service use and
daily habits such as exercise and diet.
Some participants may have the option of answering additional questions for other sub-studies after the first
main part is completed. If so, you may have the option of earning more compensation for your time and
assistance. These questions would be on specific topics like eating habits or personality characteristics. This
will be explained to you by the researcher. You do not have to agree to this.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
As a “thank you” we are paying all those who complete the interview £15. You may also be eligible to earn
additional money by answering more questions.
You can also receive a copy of our final report about some of the findings from this research. However, this is
optional and you do not have to be sent any additional information regarding this study in the future if you
do not want to. There are no other direct benefits, however we believe that by participating and allowing us
to conduct this study, you will contribute to the greater good by providing real statistics regarding unfair
treatment and its impact upon health and your standard of living. This will aid future policies and
improvements to health services that will help people in the community.
What are the possible risks of taking part?
There are no major risks involved – all we want to do is ask you a range of questions regarding your health
and various stresses and strains you might be under. Some of these questions touch on sensitive areas. If
you feel uncomfortable with any of the questions you do not have to answer them. If you want to stop the
interview you can do so at any time without giving us any reason. In addition to withdrawing yourself from
the study, you may also withdraw any information you have already provided it is within one month after
completing the study.
Is Confidentiality guaranteed?
We take confidentiality very seriously. All personal information about you is regarded as strictly
confidential. Only the researcher asking these questions and the study leader will be able to trace the
information you have given us to your personal details. All the information about you will be coded; you will
not be identifiable in any research outcome (e.g. publication). This ensures that suitable standards of
security and confidentiality are applied. All information collected will be securely held in King’s College
London.
If you agree to take part in this project you will be asked whether you are happy to be re-contacted about
participation in future research projects. In that case your name may be retrieved and you may be recontacted. This decision will not affect your participation to this current survey. Only in cases where you tell
us something which may place you at severe risk (such as suicidal thoughts and ideas) would we consider
breaching confidentiality. In those cases you might be contacted by an expert from the study team, or we
might contact your GP if we considered your life at risk.
Participation in the study is entirely optional. If you decide to take part you are still free to withdraw at any
time and without giving a reason. Withdrawal from the study will not affect the standard of care and
treatment you receive from the NHS in any way. In order to withdraw, please contact the researcher whose
details are listed below.
Additional Information
The study is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the National Institute for Health
Research Biomedical Research Centre Nucleus. If this study has harmed you in any way, or if you would like
to contact us for more information, please feel welcome to contact us at the information below.
Dr. Souci Frissa (email: [email protected], tel: 020-32288550, Address: BRC Nucleus, P.O. Box 92,
Mapother House, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF).
Thank you for taking the time to read this document and consider participation in this research.
Professor Matthew Hotopf
Principal Investigator