Protocol

Attachment C: Protocol

Message Testing: Radiation Emergencies and Cancer Risk (Online Survey)

Kelli Bursey, MPH CHES, ORAU

Florie Tucker, RN, MSN, MBA, ORAU

Carol McCurley, CDC

Armin Ansari, Ph.D., CDC

Background

Many people are concerned about their risk of developing cancer from radiation emergency. Radiation can damage the DNA in cells and increase the likelihood of cancer. The amount of radiation, called the dose, is the most important factor in determining increased risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Management, Radiation, and Chemical Branch (EMRCB) developed draft messages and graphics to describe some of the information that officials may want to share with the public after a radiation emergency.

The EMRCB provides basic information on radiation and its health effects as well as emergency instructions for individuals and families. To help ensure the quality of these messages and graphics, CDC wishes to test them with the public to gather information to ensure they are clear, useful, and will help the public understand their health risks in the event of emergency. Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) is to provide technical assistance.

This protocol addresses:

• Goal

• Objectives

• Target Audience

• Methodology

o Audience Segmentation/Screening

o Recruiting

o Schedule

o OMB

o IRB

o Methods of Data Collection

o Determining Tokens of Appreciation to Online Survey Participants

o Handling of Data and Records

o Report

Goal

• Explore the effectiveness of radiation emergency messages and graphics prepared by CDC EMRCB

Objectives:

1. Determine whether messages and graphics effectively communicate radiation emergency concepts.

2. Evaluate the extent to which messages and graphics are relevant, comprehensible, credible, appealing, & motivate desired actions.

Target Audience

The target audience for this research is the public.

Audience Segmentation and Screening

The survey will take place online.

All participants will:

• Be at least 18 years of age

• Have access to a computer, tablet or mobile device that would allow them to take a web survey

• No respondents or members of their immediate family will be employed in any of the following fields:

• Advertising

• Public relations

• Market research

• Media

• Health care

• Public health

• Emergency management

• Health physics or related fields involved with radiation

(See first 3 survey items [Attachment A])

Recruiting

Recruiting will be conducted through Schlesinger Group under the supervision of ORAU. Participants for this survey are part of a double opt in panel, meaning they have to agree both to be a member of the survey database as well as agreeing to participate in any survey. Variations from this protocol must be approved by OMB, CDC and ORAU.

Contact Information for Schlesinger Group:

Pam Lintner  | Vice President Client Solutions
Schlesinger Group
Iselin, NJ  , United States
T. (312) 505-5299
[email protected]

Any changes must be approved by OMB, CDC and ORAU before they are made.

Schedule

Summer 2020

OMB Approval:

This audience assessment has been approved by the Oak Ridge Site-Wide IRB with an exemption status. This audience assessment will submit a package to the Health Message Testing System (HMTS).

IRB

Prior to participating in the survey, each prospective respondent will receive information on sponsorship of the study, their rights as participants, risks and benefits in participating, and contacts for more information. This information will be provided electronically, using the online survey platform (first page of survey). Because this study presents no more than minimal risk and because the study is not conducted in person, signatures for informed consent will not be required. Consent will be implied when participants click the link to take the survey. Participants will be instructed that they can discontinue participation at any time without penalty.

Methods of Data Collection

An online quantitative/qualitative survey will be conducted with 600 participants from Schlesinger Group’s panel. Participants will provide feedback to messages and graphics created by CDC’s EMRCB. Schlesinger Group will program and field the online surveys will be through a sub-contract of the ORAU contract. Schlesinger Group will be able to act on behalf of CDC and ORAU to maintain participants’ confidentiality and anonymity. Participants will be screened, recruited and compensated by Schlesinger Group.

The beginning of the survey will have demographic items and the remainder of the questions will evaluate the relevance, comprehensibility, credibility, & visual appeal of two messages and graphics (See Attachment A).

Data Analysis

Closed-ended survey responses will be summarized using descriptive statistics and frequency distributions; open-ended survey responses will be examined using the constant comparative method. ORAU team will analyze the closed-ended survey responses using Excel and open-ended responses with NVivo 11.

The feedback will be used to help improve and optimize the messages and graphics based on strengths and weaknesses identified in the survey data.

Determining Tokens of Appreciation to Online Survey Participants

Participants will receive $2.00 and the payment within 1 week of completing the survey. The amount is determined by Schlesinger Group, it is impacted by a number of variables for this project, including the total participation time and specifications that each participant has to meet to participate in the study. Participants are part of the panel and they have accounts where the money accumulates and is then redeemable through their award program or could be cashed out.

In our experience, it is most cost effective to offer the recruiter-recommended amount, which results in a better participation and lower recruiting fees. Recruiters from the market research facilities know from experience what various market segments expect to receive. Recruiters will be paid solely for the length of time required to recruit participants. They will have no monetary gain based on the recommended dollar amount of token of appreciation.

Handling of Data and Records

ORAU will maintain no identifiers connecting any data collected to any particular respondent; neither will it provide any personal identifiers to CDC or others. Neither CDC nor ORAU will have any interaction with any participants. Schlesinger will be required to not provide personal identifiers to ORAU or CDC.

Additionally, ORAU will:

• Develop a report in an agreed-upon format summarizing the responses provided by participants; the report will contain no personal identifiers -- that is, information sufficient to determine the identity of any participant (e.g. first and last name, address)

• Deliver the report to CDC;

• Not deliver to CDC or others any personal identifiers of participants;

• Retain records for three years, then burn, shred, or otherwise destroy them.

Report

The results report will include background/introduction, purpose, methodology (including participant selection criteria and response rate), findings (including tables and other graphic presentations of data where appropriate and representative quotes from open-ended items), recommendations, conclusions, and appendices with screeners, survey, and samples of materials tested. ORAU team will also create a similarly organized slide set to summarize the comprehensive report. No personal identification information will be linked to participants in the report.

Attachment 1b: BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Survey	600	15/60	150
Totals	600	.25	150