Subject: Electronic Cigarette Survey

Dear EIU Student,

You are invited to participate in a survey regarding electronic cigarettes.  This research study is being conducted by members of EIU’s Department of Health Studies, including Dr. Richard Cavanaugh, Dr. Kathleen Phillips and Dr. Sheila Simons.  Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary.  If you have any questions before deciding to participate you may contact the primary investigator or sponsors at the email addresses or phone numbers provided below.

The purpose of this research study is to assess current knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors associated with electronic cigarettes, among college students at Eastern Illinois University.  If you decide to participate you will be asked to click on a link to an electronic survey.  The survey consists of about 30 open-ended and closed questions.  The survey takes no more than 10 minutes to complete and you will only be asked to complete one survey.  There are no foreseeable risks in your participation, nor will you benefit directly from your participation in this study.  However, the results of this research may contribute to generalizable knowledge with regard to electronic cigarettes .  Results from this study may also lead to appropriate and effective health education strategies with regard to electronic cigarettes and provide implications for public policy.

If you feel uncomfortable answering any questions, you may withdraw from the survey at any point.  Your survey responses will be both anonymous and confidential.  The primary investigator and faculty co-investigators will not have access to any identifying information once you have submitted your survey.  The data will be collected by the Office of Academic Assessment & Testing, which will provide only aggregate data and responses.  Once the data is collected, only the primary investigator and faculty sponsors will have access to the data, which will be stored on a password-protected computer in the faculty sponsors’ office and will be destroyed within three years of the completion of this study.

Participation in this research study is voluntary and not a requirement or a condition for being the recipient of benefits or services from Eastern Illinois University.  If you volunteer to be in this study, you may withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.  You may also refuse to answer any questions you do not wish to answer.  There is no penalty if you withdraw from the study and you will not lose any benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

If you have any questions or concerns about this research, please contact any of the following:

Dr. Richard Cavanaugh                   Dr. Kathleen Phillips                        Dr. Sheila Simons

Dept. of Health Studies                 Dept. of Health Studies                 Dept. of Health Studies

(217) 581-6205                                   kphillips2@eiu.edu                         srsimons@eiu.edu

recavanaugh@eiu.edu                 

If you have any questions or concerns about the treatment of human participants in this study, you may call or write:

Institutional Review Board

Eastern Illinois University

600 Lincoln Avenue

Charleston, IL 61920

Telephone: (217) 581-8576

E-mail: eiuirb@www.eiu.edu

You will be given the opportunity to discuss any questions about your rights as a research subject with a member of the IRB.  The IRB is an independent committee composed of members of the University community, as well as lay members of the community not connected with EIU.  The IRB has reviewed and approved this study.

If you voluntarily agree to participate in this study, click on the link below:

                http://eiu.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_afMBwjlHoDtE3sN

Thanks for your participation!