IRB Approval

Date:

December 3, 2019

To:

Barbara Queen, Project Director

From:

Sharon Zack, Westat IRB Administrator

Subject:

Amendment Approval of YRBS TA 2017-2022, Project Number 6528
FWA 00005551

As Administrator of the Westat Institutional Review Board (IRB), I reviewed the materials
submitted for the following: YRBS TA 2017-2022, Project Number 6528. The Westat IRB reviews
all studies involving research on human subjects. The project was last reviewed in July 2013.
Westat will perform data collection for a test-retest reliability study of the School Health Profiles
surveys. They collect data on school health policies and practices among secondary schools in the U.S.


The School Principal Questionnaire collects information on school health coordination,
physical education and physical activity, tobacco-use prevention policies, nutrition-related
policies and practices, health services, and family and community involvement in the school.



The Lead Health Education Teacher Questionnaire collects information about required health
education courses at the school, health education materials, required health education content,
collaboration among staff, types of professional development they received and would like to
receive, and their level of professional preparation.

Although identifiable information (name, title, and school address) will be collected, respondents will
be speaking from their roles as staff knowledgeable about school health policies and practices and will
not be providing personal information about themselves.
Per [45 CFR 46.104(d) (2)], and the information provided, this research includes interactions such as
education tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievements), survey procedures, interview
procedures, or observation of public behavior (including visual or audio recording), if at least one of
the following criteria are met:




Information recorded cannot be readily linked back to subjects, or
Any information disclosure outside of the research would not reasonably place subjects at risk of
harm, or
Identifiable information recorded, with limited IRB review for privacy and confidentiality protection.

Therefore, this project is exempt from further IRB review.
Please note the following:





IRB approval is required before any new or modified research activities are conducted or
when there is a problem involving risks to human subjects.
Upon learning of an incident, you must contact the Westat IRB Office within 24 hours via
telephone (301-610-8828) or email ([email protected]).
Notify our office when your project is over.

cc:

Institutional Review Board
John Wells