Principal Investigator: Dr Dan Bowers                                
Telephone: 01443 483637         
Email: dan.bowers@southwales.ac.uk    
                                                                                          
STUDY TITLE:  Posture & pressure management: Exploring social psychological explanations for compliance with clinically prescribed seating functions. 

We would like to invite you to take part in our research. Before you decide, we would like you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve for you. Please email us if anything is unclear.  Please take time to decide whether or not to take part.

 What is the purpose of the study?

We are researching opinions about the features of your wheelchair and how you are using these as well as seeking information about how you are helping to prevent issues such as pressure ulcers and to manage your posture with/without any features that have been prescribed by a clinician.  We are also interested in how you see yourself in comparison to other wheelchair users and what sort of friendship and social groups you consider yourself to be part of.  

Why have I been invited?

We are particularly interested in the opinions of adults who are users of either powered or manual wheelchairs.  We are therefore approaching undergraduate and recent graduate students who are using this equipment as well as other adults in employment and inviting them to take part in this survey.  

Do I have to take part?

No. Taking part in this research is entirely up to you. It is up to you to decide if you want to volunteer for this study. We will describe the study in this information sheet. If you agree to take part, we will then ask you to read and sign an online informed consent form.

What will happen to me if I take part?

This research should take no longer than 30 minutes. You will be asked to complete some questionnaires which ask about the features of your chair, the types of pressure relieving/posture management activities you engage in and your view of yourself in relation to other wheelchair users.  The type of questions included have been used in similar studies to elicit opinions from other users.  

Also within the survey you will be asked for details of your age, gender, whether your wheelchair use is something you have always experienced or whether this has happened later on (and if so, how long you have been using your chair) and whether you have used other types of chairs prior to this one.  All questions are voluntary and you can elect not to answer specific items if you are uncomfortable with them. 
Are there any possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?

There are no foreseeable risks or disadvantages associated with participating in this study.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

Benefits related to participation in this research include contribution to scientific knowledge.  The results of this information will help us to understand your opinions about features of your chair and the pressure and posture management activities you are asked to undertake.

Will my taking part in the study be kept confidential?

Yes. The raw data, which will comprise your responses to the opinion questions, age, gender and information about your wheelchair use, will be kept securely by the Principal Investigator. Electronic data will be stored on a password-protected computer, and any hard copies will be locked in a filing cabinet.  Information from the main survey will be stored separately from consent forms. 

The data, which will be presented in group form may be presented to others at scientific meetings, or published as a project report or scientific paper, grant proposal or book.  Anonymous data, which does not identify you, may be used in future research studies approved by the Faculty Ethics Committee in the Faculty of Life Sciences & Education; however this will follow a separate application for ethical approval. All research findings will be presented as collective findings based on the whole dataset and never in terms of individuals’ performances.

The raw data will be retained for 5 years following publication (in line with guidance from our professional body). When it is no longer required, the data will be disposed of securely.  

What will happen if I don’t want to carry on with the study?

You can stop the survey at any time, without giving a reason. If you do withdraw from the study after some data has been collected your overall responses will not be recorded. However as no names or contact details will be collected as part of this online survey, it will not be possible to withdraw your data after the results have been submitted. 

What if there is a problem?

If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, you should speak to the Principal Investigator.
 
If you have a complaint, you can contact:

 a.    Dr Peter Mayer or Dr Janet Pitman, Joint Heads of Psychology, Faculty of Life Sciences & Education; peter.mayer@southwales.ac.uk or janet.pitman@southwales.ac.uk  

b.     Jonathan Sinfield, Research Governance Officer; University of South Wales; jonathan.sinfield@southwales.ac.uk

Who is funding the research?
This research is funded by the Posture & Mobility Group who are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation which was created to advance professional expertise and practice relating to the posture and wheeled mobility needs of people with physical disabilities, in particular the equipment and services those needs require.

Who has reviewed the study?

This study has been reviewed by the Faculty Ethics Sub Group; Faculty of Life Sciences & Education.


Thank you for taking time to read this information sheet and for considering volunteering for this survey. If you do volunteer your consent will be sought on the following page.

 

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