HeatTracking Participant Information Sheet
Thanks for your interest in this study. We want to understand how hot environmental temperatures affect people’s health. The study’s leaders are A/Prof David Boettiger, Ms Sandra Carlson, and A/Prof Craig Dalton.
The information below gives more detail about the study and how you can take part. Please take the time to read the content carefully. You can discuss it with others if you wish.
This study has been approved by the Hunter New England Human Research Ethics Committee
1. Why are we doing this study?
We are inviting you because you are already part of the FluTracking program. HeatTracking will work like FluTracking but will focus on symptoms of heat-related illness. It will only run over January and February 2025. HeatTracking will help us answer important research questions. For example: How often do people experience symptoms of heat-related illness? What are the most important risk factors of heat-related illness? How do people manage symptoms of heat-related illness in the community? It may also lead to further HeatTracking surveys in the future.
2. What would participation involve for me?
If you join, we’ll use some details you’ve provided in FluTracking (your age, sex, education level, First Nations status, and postcode). We’ll also ask you to complete a one-off registration survey. This will include questions on your housing, long-term illnesses, how often you feel hot, and whether you’ve ever felt ill due to the heat.
Symptoms of heat-related illness include:
- Extreme thirst
- Dizziness/light headedness
- Fainting/collapsing
- Feeling too hot to sleep
- Feeling confused/not able to think properly
- Muscle twitches/cramping
- Lack of coordination/difficulty with movement
- A racing heartbeat
Once registered, we’ll send you a short (~30 second) survey every Monday morning of the study. This will ask whether you had any symptoms of heat-related illness in the past week and, if so, what you did about it.
3. Do I have to take part in this study?
No. Participation in HeatTracking is entirely voluntary. If you do not want to take part, you do not have to. And, if you agree to participate, you can withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason. If you choose not to participate, it will not affect your involvement in FluTracking.
4. What is the benefit of participating?
You may not personally benefit from being in this study. Your involvement will help us to gain knowledge that we may use to help the wider community in the future. If you participate, we’ll send interim report in February 2025 and the final report in April 2025. Aggregate findings may be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
5. Are there any risks?
Participants may feel uncomfortable answering some of the survey questions.]
6. How will my privacy be protected?
The only potentially identifiable data provided is your email address. Email addresses be replaced with codes in tables that contain personal information. Only the study investigators will have access to your details. These will be held securely by Hunter New England Local Health District. Any information that we collect about you will remain confidential. All data will be destroyed 5 years after completion of the study.
7. What if I want to withdraw from the study?
You can withdraw from the study at any time by contacting the study team. You do not have to provide any reason. You also have the option of withdrawing information collected from you.\
8. Who has reviewed this research project?
All research in Australia involving humans is reviewed by a
Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). The ethical aspects of this project have been approved by the Hunter New England HREC. This project will be conducted according to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023). This statement protects the interests of people who participate in human research studies.
9. Complaints about this research
This research has been approved by the Hunter New England HREC(Reference 2024/ETH02690). Should you have a complaint about the research, it may be given to the researcher. If an independent person is preferred, please contact the HNE Research Office. This is located at Hunter New England Local Health District, Level 3, POD, HMRI, Lot 1 Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton Heights NSW 2305. Telephone: 02 4921 4140. Email: HNELHD-ResearchOffice@health.nsw.gov.au and quote the reference number: 2024/ETH02690
Thank you for taking the time to consider this study. If you agree to participate, please sign-up from the “Introducing HeatTracking” email.
