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Changing Your Mind

Participating and changing your mind

Participating in the National Survey of Health and Development

As a study member, you will receive information about our data collections along with your birthday card.  Please notify us if you change your contact details.

All the information you give us is stored securely and is the responsibility of the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL.

All our data collections have been reviewed and approved by a Research Ethics Committee.

“Can I change my mind about taking part in the  MRC National Survey of Health and Development?”

Yes of course – your participation is entirely voluntary. Choosing not to participate will not disadvantage you in any way.  However, you don’t have to drop out of the study completely.

You can:

  • Just do the bits that you like or are comfortable with
  • Have a break for a while if you are very busy – you can always take part again later.

Below are some options for you to think about. We will try and do all we can to find the right choice for you. It’s your decision.

Option 1: Are you only interested in one bit of the Study?

If you like doing some things but not others (for example, you are not happy with having your bloods collected) all you have to do is:

  • Let us know, by contacting us

We will stop asking you to take part in the bit you do not like, but will carry on collecting other information about you.  If there is an aspect of the questionnaire or visit that you do not want to do, you can skip it.

Option 2: Do you need a break?

If you feel you would like to opt out for a while then just:

  • Let us know, by contacting us

We will continue to send your birthday card and newsletter, but we won’t send you any questionnaires or invitations for home visit or clinic appointments.  We will carry on collecting information about your health from your official records through data linkage.

We’ll get back in touch after the agreed break and see if you are happy to take part again.

Other Options

You would rather not receive questionnaires or invitations for home visit at all

We will continue to send your birthday card and newsletter, but we will not send you any questionnaires or invitations for home visit or clinic appointments.  We will carry on collecting information about your health from your official records through data linkage.

You do not want us to contact you anymore

We will not send you any further birthday cards or information from the study but we will carry on collecting information about your health from your official records and continue to use that as well as the other information we already have in our research.

If you would prefer us to stop collecting information on your health from your official records then please let us know.

You want to leave the study and stop us using your data

  • We can do this, and we will stop collecting data
  • We can stop using part or all of your information. Importantly, removing information will limit our ability to conduct research.

Please note, it is not possible for us to stop using all of your information if it is already being used by researchers. No new research will be started using your data. We always need to keep a simple record about you on our database so that we know NOT to contact you.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

You can contact us using the following methods:

Freephone: 0800 952 0249

Phone: + 44 (0)20 7670 5705/5700

Email: MRCLHA.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

Address:
MRC National Survey of Health and Development
MRC Unit of Lifelong Health and Ageing
Floor 5, MRC LHA at UCL
1-19 Torrington Place
London WC1E 7HB
UK