Dear Study Participant,
Researchers at the University of Kentucky are inviting you to take part in an online survey to learn about recovery residences, also known as recovery housing or sober living houses. This survey is designed to learn more about the needs of recovery residence owners, operators, and affiliates, including their interest in opportunities for technical assistance that might be helpful to the operation of a recovery residence.
Please take a moment to read the information below before consenting to participate in this research study.
Who is conducting this study?
You are being invited to participate in this survey by Terry Bunn, Ph.D., Director of the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Kentucky and principal investigator on this study.
Why have we asked you to participate?
You have been asked to participate because you have been identified as an owner, operator, or are affiliated with the operation of a recovery residence and are knowledgeable about the operation and need for support of this residence.
Is participation voluntary?
Your participation is completely voluntary. You decide if you want to take part in the survey or not. If you do not participate, there are no consequences, and your decision to participate or not will be kept confidential. We hope to receive completed questionnaires from 5,000 people, so your answers are important to us. You are free to stop participating at any time. If you have questions about the survey you may ask them at any time.
What will you be asked to do if you participate?
If you decide to participate you will be asked to complete a brief survey about you and your residence(s). This survey includes questions about yourself such as your name and contact information which is being collected in case we need to follow-up with you to ask any questions about your recovery home. This survey also includes questions about the recovery residence(s) that you own or operate such as what type of support is available to your residents, and information on what type of technical assistance you might find helpful to the operation of this residence. Answers to the questions will be summarized across all respondents, and no one will be identified by name in any reports or publications of the findings. Your response to this survey will be kept confidential to the extent allowed by law. When we write about the study, you will not be identified. All electronic files will be stored in password protected and encrypted files on a secure network at the University of Kentucky. Paper documents will be stored in a locked file cabinet in the researcher's office at the University of Kentucky.
What are the risks and benefits of the study?
There are very few risks in taking part in this survey. One risk is the potential loss of privacy and confidentiality. We will minimize this risk by requiring researchers to be trained on research standards regarding privacy and confidentiality. You may also be uncomfortable talking about aspects of your residence. You can choose to skip any questions, and you may end the survey at any time without penalty.
There are no direct benefits from taking part in this survey. The information collected in this survey will help us learn about the types of technical assistance that operators such as yourself may find helpful and will inform future efforts to provide this technical assistance.
Please be aware, while we make every effort to safeguard your data once received on our servers via REDCap, given the nature of online surveys, as with anything involving the Internet, we can never guarantee the confidentiality of the data while still en route to us.
Will you be compensated or receive anything for participating in the study?
We expect this survey will take 10 minutes to complete. There is no compensation for completing this survey.
Who can you call if you have more questions?
If you have any questions about the research being conducted or your participation in the research, feel free to contact Terry Bunn, Ph.D., by phone at 859-257-4955, by email at terry.bunn@uky.edu, or in writing at 333 Waller Ave., Suite 242, Lexington, KY 40504.
If you have any questions about your rights as a subject in this research, would like to speak with someone other than the researchers about concerns you have about the study, or in the event the researchers cannot be reached, please contact the University of Kentucky's Office of Research Integrity (the University's Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects) by phone at 859-257-9428 or toll-free at 1-866-400-9428, or by e-mail at IRBSubmission@uky.edu.
Statement of consent
I have read the contents of this cover letter, have been encouraged to ask questions, and have received satisfactory answers to my questions. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I may withdraw my participation at any time without penalty. By proceeding to the rest of the survey, I voluntarily agree to participate in this study.
Sincerely,
Terry Bunn, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health and Epidemiology
Director, Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center
University of Kentucky, College of Public Health
333 Waller Ave., Suite 242
Lexington, KY 40504
859-257-4955