Sent: 2012-02-22
From: Drs. Sheila Simons, Kathy Phillips, Richard Cavanaugh and Ms. Anita Sego
To: Employees
Subject: Research Survey - Disaster Preparedness
Dear EIU Faculty and Staff:
You are invited to participate in a research study on personal disaster preparedness being conducted by Drs. Sheila Simons, Kathy Phillips, Richard Cavanaugh and Ms. Anita Sego from the Department of Health Studies at Eastern Illinois University. Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You have been asked to participate in this study because you are employed at EIU.
From the San Diego wildfires to multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria, communities are facing an ever-growing list of potential disasters. Some events, like pandemic influenza or anthrax attacks, are public health emergencies first and foremost. Hurricane Katrina taught us, however, that lack of planning can turn a natural disaster into a health care nightmare and lead to needless death and suffering. As a result, disaster preparedness has become a priority for our country. Communities, including university campuses, have been directed to develop plans and enact strategies to respond to emergencies and disasters.
The purpose of this survey is explore your personal disaster preparedness and to assess your knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors relative to preparing for a range of hazards.
The results of this research may contribute to generalizeable knowledge with regard to University employees' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors relative to personal preparedness for disasters.
It will take approximately 15 minutes to complete the questionnaire.
Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. There are no foreseeable risks associated with this project, nor will you benefit directly from your participation in this study. However, if you feel uncomfortable answering any questions, you can withdraw from the survey at any point.
Your survey responses will be strictly confidential and data from this research will be reported only in the aggregate. Your information will be coded and will remain confidential. All survey findings will be reported in aggregate. Once the data is collected, only the primary investigator will have access to the data, which will be stored on a password-protected computer in the primary investigator’s office and will be destroyed within three years of the completion of this study.
Again, participation in this study is voluntary and not a requirement for being a recipient of benefits or services from Eastern Illinois University. If you volunteer to be in this study, you may withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind or loss of benefits or services to which you are otherwise entitles.
If you have questions at any time about the survey or the procedures, you may contact Sheila Simons at 217/581-6373 or by email at srsimons@eiu.edu.
If you have any questions or concerns about the treatment of human participants in this study, you may call or write the Institutional Review Board:
Institutional Review Board
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
Telephone: (217) 581-8576
E-mail: eiuirb@eiu.edu
You will be given the opportunity to discuss any questions about your rights as a research subject with a member of the IRB. The IRB is an independent committee composed of member of the University community, as well as lay members of the community not connected with EIU. The IRB has reviewed and approved this study.
If possible, could you please respond to the survey by March 30, 2012.
Thank you very much for your time and support.
By clicking on the continue button below, I voluntarily agree to participate in this study. I understand that I am free to withdraw my consent and discontinue my participation at any given time. I also can print out a copy of this informed consent letter should I wish to do so.
Please start with the survey now by clicking on the link below.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/eiupreparedness
