What is this study about?
You are invited to take part in a research study about travel, health and wellbeing. The researchers are investigating how we change in response to changes in the urban environment.
You have been invited to participate in this study because you live in a suburb where changes in the urban landscape may or may not be occurring in the near future. This page tells you about the research study. Knowing what is involved will help you decide if you want to take part in the research. Please read this information carefully and ask questions about anything that you don’t understand or want to know more about.
Participation in this research study is voluntary.
By giving your consent to take part in this study you are telling us that you:
- Understand what you have read.
- Agree to take part in the research study as outlined below.
- Agree to the use of your personal information as described.
You can download a copy of the Participant Information Statement here.
Who is running the study?
The study is being carried out by the following researchers at the University of Sydney:
- Dr Melanie Crane, Senior Research Fellow, Sydney School of Public Health
- Prof Stephen Greaves, Professor, Sydney Business School
- Prof Matthew Beck, Professor, Sydney Business School
- Dr Christopher Standen, Research Fellow, Sydney Business School
- Prof Chris Rissel, Adjunct Professor, Sydney School of Public Health
The study is currently being funded by The University of Sydney.
What will the study involve for me?
If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to participate in a short survey which ask you about your travel behaviour as well as questions related to your health and wellbeing.
The survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete.
We hope to continue to assess the impacts of urban changes over time. If you are willing and have given us your contact details, we will contact you again this time next year to ask you to complete the survey again.
Who can take part in the study?
If you live in one of the suburbs in Sydney where we are examining behavioural changes you are welcome to take part. This area includes most suburbs in Sydney; however, some suburbs have not been included due to their distance from the city centre. If you intend to move out of your area in the next few months, please advise us before completing the survey.
Can I withdraw once I’ve started?
Participating in this study is optional and you do not have to take part.
Your decision will have no impact on your current or future relationship with the researchers or anyone else at The University of Sydney.
If you decide to participate in the study and then change your mind you can withdraw at any time by not completing the survey.
By submitting your survey, you are consenting to partake part in the study. You have the option to withdraw any time before submitting. Once your responses are submitted, we won’t be able to tell which one is yours. This means you cannot withdraw after submitting the survey.
If you decide to withdraw, we will stop collecting information from you. If you don’t want the information already collected to be in the study results, please tell us at the time you withdraw.
Are there any risks or costs associated with being in the study?
Aside from giving up your time, we do not expect that there will be any risks or costs associated with taking part in this study.
Are there any benefits associated with being in the study?
We hope that the study will contribute to improving our urban environment. We cannot guarantee that you will receive any direct benefits from being in the study.
What will happen to information about me that is collected during the study?
By providing your consent, you are agreeing to us collecting personal information about you for the purposes of this research study. Your information will be used only for the purposes outlined in this Participant Information Statement, unless you consent otherwise.
Your information will be stored securely and your identity and responses will be kept strictly confidential, except as required by law. Study findings may be published, but you will not be individually identifiable in these publications.
We will keep the information we collect for this study, and we may use it in future projects. By providing your consent, you are allowing us to use your information in future projects. We don’t know at this stage what these other projects will involve. We will seek ethical approval before using the information in these future projects.
Can I tell other people about the study?
Yes, you are welcome to tell other people about the study.
What if I would like further information about the study?
If you would like to know more at any stage of the study or would like a copy of the overall study findings, please contact the Chief Investigators, Dr Melanie Crane, Senior Research Fellow at melanie.crane@sydney.edu.au or (02) 8627 1862 or Prof Stephen Greaves, Professor of Transport Studies at Stephen.greaves@sydney.edu.au or (02) 9114 1835.
Will I be told the results of the study?
You have a right to receive feedback about the overall results of this study. You will be able to access feedback on the overall findings of the study by checking the website news section. Feedback on personal information will not be provided.
What if I have a complaint or any concerns about the study?
The ethical aspects of this study have been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of The University of Sydney (protocol number 2019/217) in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007).
If you have any concerns about the study’s procedures or would like to make a complaint to someone not involved in the study, please contact the University:
Human Ethics Manager
- Telephone: +61 2 8627 8176
- Email: human.ethics@sydney.edu.au