Participant consent form
Risk mitigation for people who use substances during dual public health emergencies
You are invited to participate in this study that is being conducted by Dr. Karen Urbanoski and Dr. Bernie Pauly, in collaboration with the BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors and Professionals for Ethical Engagement of Peers. Drs. Urbanoski and Pauly are faculty members at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria. You may contact them if you have further questions:
Karen Urbanoski: urbanosk@uvic.ca, 1 250 853 3238
Bernie Pauly: bpauly@uvic.ca, 1 250 472 5915
This research is being funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Background and Purpose of the Study
You are invited to participate in a research study. Your participation is free and voluntary, and you are free to withdraw at any time. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the experiences of people who use drugs in trying to access safe supply. On March 26, 2020, new guidelines for safe supply were released in BC in response to evidence of increasing toxicity of the illicit drug supply coinciding with the outbreak of COVID-19. We are interested in learning more about the uptake and outcomes of safe supply since these guidelines were released. This study is being conducted across BC.
Importance of this Research
Research of this type is important because there is very little research on access to safe supply programs, and the factors that support and prevent it. This is a unique opportunity for research given the dual public health emergencies in BC related to overdoses and COVID-19. By learning more about BC’s experience with safe supply at this time, we can better understand the kinds of policies and programs that may be useful to support the health of people who use drugs.
Participants Selection
You are being asked to participate in this study because you have tried to access safe supply or are interested in accessing safe supply in the future. It does not matter whether or not you were successful in getting a prescription, or whether or not you are still taking the medications that were prescribed to you. We are interested in speaking with people who were able to access safe supply when they tried, and with those who were not successful.
What is Involved?
If you agree to voluntarily participate in this study, you will be able to complete this survey online, by phone, or in person, whichever you prefer. The survey will take about 30-45 minutes to complete. We will ask you about your drug use, access to safe supply, and your health. We are asking for demographic information (e.g., your age, race/ethnicity) because we would like to know whether your experiences differ by these characteristics. All questions are voluntary. If you agree to participate, we will ask you for contact information where we can reach you again to determine if you are interested in participating further in a qualitative sub-study. We will only keep your contact information for the time that we are collecting data and then it will be deleted.
Inconvenience
Participation in this study may cause some inconvenience to you because of the amount of time it takes to answer the questions.
Risks
There are some potential risks to you by participating in this research. Some of the questions may cause you to feel sad or uncomfortable. If you feel this way, please let us know and we make sure you feel you have the supports you need. A list of support services is included with this consent form.
If you chose the in-person survey, there is a risk of COVID-19 transmission. To reduce this risk, all participants and research staff will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before participation. Anyone who is concerned that they may have been exposed to, or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, will not be allowed to participate, and will be referred to further resources. Physical distancing will be implemented during the surveys, and masks are required in indoor spaces unless there are medical reasons. We will provide you with a mask for indoor and outdoor spaces if you need one. All participants and research staff will wash/sanitize hands before and after research activities. All research equipment (e.g., phones, recording devices) will be sterilized before and after research activities.
Benefits
The potential benefits of your participation in this research include helping us find out about how to support the expansion of safe supply in BC. We hope that by doing this study, we can provide solid evidence on the role of safe supply as one part of the public health response to reduce harms among people who use drugs.
Compensation
As a way to compensate you for any inconvenience related to your participation, you will be given $20 for completing the survey.
Voluntary Participation
Your participation in this research is completely voluntary. If you decide to participate, you may withdraw at any time without any consequences or any explanation. If you do withdraw from the study your data will be destroyed and will be removed from the study unless you say it’s OK that we can still include it. If you decide to withdraw or skip any questions, you will still get $20.
Being in this study is your choice. You do not have to answer any questions that you do not want to answer. Your data will not be identified as yours or used against you. If you decide to be in the study,you can still stop at any time. No one will know if you decide to quit. You just have to tell the researcher that this is what you want to do. If you have received access to safe supply, your answers will not be shared with your prescriber or any other health care professional.
Confidentiality
To preserve confidentiality, your name will not appear in any documents that are the outcome of this research. The information obtained from the survey will be held in confidence. Only the research staff will have access to this information. Confidentiality will be provided to the fullest extent possible by law.
All personally identifying information, such as your name and phone number will be kept confidential. This information will be kept separately from your interview data, so that your information cannot be linked to your interview or survey responses. In the event that a research participant or member of research team is exposed to or tests positive for COVID-19, we will be able to contact you or anyone who has been exposed to COVID-19 to prevent onward transmission of the virus.
Sharing of Results
Results from this study will be used in academic publications, reports, and conference presentations.
Disposal of Data
Your data will be safely stored on protected computer files located at the University of Victoria for at least 5 years after the study is completed, after which any data will be destroyed (shredded or deleted).
Sharing of Study Results
The study results will be presented in the form of a report at the end of the project and may be submitted to an academic journal for publication. If you would like to receive a summary of what we found in this study, please just let your interviewer know.
Need More Information regarding this Study Please Contact:
Karen Urbanoski: urbanosk@uvic.ca, 1 250 853 3238
OR
Bernie Pauly: bpauly@uvic.ca, 1 250 472 5915
In addition, you may verify the ethical approval of this study, or raise any concerns you might have, by contacting the Human Research Ethics Office at the University of Victoria (250-472-4545 or ethics@uvic.ca).
By completing the survey, YOUR FREE AND INFORMED CONSENT IS IMPLIED and indicates that you understand the above conditions of participation in this study and that you have had the opportunity to have your questions answered by the researchers.
Please retain a copy of this letter for your reference.
Support Services
The following is a list of services and supports, including phone and online options, if you are in distress or crisis and require some immediate support. If you do not feel like you are in immediate danger, talk to your doctor or another trusted health professional. The supports listed here can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (unless otherwise noted).
The Crisis Centre (3 options)
BC wide: 1 800 SUICIDE (1 800 784 2433)
Mental health support line: 604 310 6789
Vancouver: 604 872 3311
Crisis chat: an online crisis support service for adults (available noon to 1am): www.crisiscentrechat.ca
COVID-19 Call Centre: 1-844-901-8442 (MON-SUN 8:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.)