Participant information sheet

ATTACHMENT C: Participant Information Sheet

Water Emergency Risk Communications Study

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(Focus Group)

Information for Participants

Purpose of this Study

You are being asked to participate in a virtual focus group being conducted by Powell Strategies on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under Public Health Service Act (PHSA). The project will focus on gathering feedback to ensure that health communication resources are meeting the needs of the public and are disseminated in ways preferred by the general public. During the focus group, you will be asked your opinions and preferences regarding health communications materials during water-related emergencies and other public health emergencies. Your answers can help efforts to provide accurate, helpful information to the public during a range of water-related public health emergencies.

Procedures:

We have asked you to participate in a focus group. The focus group will take place virtually through videoconferencing. You will not be required to travel to a research facility to participate. During the virtual focus group, you will be asked your opinions and practices regarding some information about health communications you have received about water related emergencies A trained person will lead the focus group. The total time involved in the focus group, including instructions, will be no more than 90 minutes.

Please remember that:

• You choose to participate.

• You are not required to answer questions that you don’t want to.

• This focus group session should last no more than 90 minutes.

• The session will be video- and audio-recorded.

• You will receive a $40 gift card as a token of appreciation for your time.

• You are free to leave at any time without penalty, and you will still receive a gift card in recognition of your time.

• Personally identifiable information will not be kept longer than the duration of the data collection period. We are collecting your name and address to mail your gift card. We will delete that information once the cards are mailed to you.

• Audio recording of this focus group will only be used to ensure your responses are recorded correctly. Audio recordings will be deleted upon completion of this data collection activity.

Risks

The risks of your participation are expected to be minimal. This means that the risks are not expected to be greater than the risks people may normally have in their daily life.

Benefits

You may be better informed about a public health issue.

You may have a sense of satisfaction from contributing.

Your comments may help improve the information the public receives.

We will keep the information you give us private to the extent allowed by law. Your name will not be used in final reports. No statement you make will be linked to you by name. Only members of the research staff will be allowed to look at the records. When we present this study or publish its results, your name or other facts that point to you will not show or be used.

Persons to Contact

If you have questions about this session, or would like more information about participating in this project you may call the project lead Heather Bair-Brake 404-639-3323 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.