Interview Consent information (for information only)
If you are selected for an interview, you will be formally asked to consent to participate in this study. This information will also be made available to you at that time.
Summary of Research Project
This master’s thesis project is being conducted by Danika Paquette under the supervision of Dr. Karen Phillips, Associate Professor at the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa. The University of Ottawa Research Ethics Board has reviewed and approved the ethical aspects of this project (File # H-02-25-11204 - REG-11204). The primary goal is to document healthcare professionals’ perspectives on perinatal-wildfire health knowledge and experiences and to assess the guidance related to wildfire-related perinatal health risks.
Participation
You will be asked to participate in a semi-structured, audio-recorded interview facilitated by a trained research assistant. Your involvement is limited to a brief period (one individual interview is approximately 30-60 minutes - in English or French), and you are free to withdraw at any time during the interview without any repercussions. During the interview, you will be asked to reflect on your knowledge, experiences, and perspectives regarding wildfire-related perinatal health risk counselling.
Benefits of This Study
The interview aims to understand how healthcare providers address and communicate strategies during prenatal visits to help pregnant individuals mitigate risks from wildfire-related air pollution in both hotspot and non-hotspot regions in Canada. The findings will inform public health professionals, healthcare practitioners, and future education and policy development. You may gain insights into perinatal wildfire health risks through the interview discussion and resources provided may potentially enhance their capacity to offer wildfire risk guidance to patients.
Potential Risks Involved
You may experience emotional discomfort responding to questions related to your professional experiences with wildfires.
Confidentiality and Anonymity
All the information you will share will remain strictly confidential. The information will be used only for analysis in this study and your confidentiality will be protected by anonymizing my quoted statements. Anonymity will be protected by using an alphanumeric identification code (ID) which you will be asked to enter on the online consent. Electronic consent forms will only contain my designated alphanumeric code- not your name. You may be quoted in presentations or publications, but your quotes will only be attributed to demographic characteristics such as job titles/field, province of practice and gender identity.
Conservation of Data
Anonymized electronic data (consent forms, audio recordings, emails) will be kept secure for ten years and conserved no later than January 2035.
Voluntary Participation
Your participation is completely voluntary. You may choose not to participate, and you may withdraw at any time. You do not have to answer any question you do not wish to answer.
If you have any questions regarding the study, you may contact Dr. Karen Phillips (thesis supervisor) at Karen.Phillips@uottawa.ca or Danika Paquette (MSc candidate) at dpaqu088@uottawa.ca
Any information requests or complaints about the ethical conduct of the project may be addressed to:
University of Ottawa-Office of Research Ethics and Integrity
550 Cumberland, Room 154, University of Ottawa,
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 6N5
(613) 562-5387 or ethics@uottawa.ca
In the event that you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted at the email provided.