You are being asked to participate in this project and take a survey. The purpose of this survey is to collect data for the project “How does the severity of Alcohol Use Disorder symptoms correlate with the severity of depression symptoms among Kentucky Veterans”. This survey cannot officially diagnose you with Alcohol Use Disorder or Depression. The information you are about to read is called a consent form. The purpose of this form is to provide you with information about the study and aid you in your decision on whether to participate in it. You are being asked to provide consent for research purposes, and participation in this study is voluntary. Please read the document carefully, and contact the researcher if there is anything you do not understand.

This survey should take no longer than 5 minutes. It is encouraged that you answer all of the questions to the best of your ability. All questions are optional, and you do not have to respond to any questions you do not wish to. 

What are the requirements to participate in this study?

The requirements to participate are that you are over 18 years of age, you have a permanent home address in the state of Kentucky at the time you are taking this survey, and you have or are serving in the United States Military at any point in time for any duration.

If you do not meet ALL three of these criteria but still submit a response, your response will be removed from the data analysis as you are not part of the “study population”.

Are there any risks?

This study is considered minimal risk. This means you will not face any risks greater than what you would face on a normal day.

Will I have to receive any benefits?

I do not expect you to receive any benefits from taking part in this study.

Is there an alternative instead of taking part in this study?

The other alternative is to not participate. You can choose to participate or choose not to participate in this study.

Is my information confidential?

Any information you choose to share will be kept confidential. This means only the principal researcher may see any identifying information but will not share it with anyone whether they are in or outside the research study team. This is especially true for any information that could identify your response back to you. In this study, identifying information may include initials, “yes” or “no” indicating that you have or do not have a permanent home address in Kentucky, and “yes” or “no” indicating that you are serving or have served in the United States Military or have not served in the United States Military. Once the data collection period has ended, ALL information that could link your response back to you will be deleted from the principal researcher's digital device to the best of that digital device's ability. 

Will I be compensated for taking part?

I do not expect you to receive any compensation for taking this survey.

Who can I contact if I have concerns, questions, or comments?

If you want to contact someone within the research study with questions, comments, concerns, or research-related injuries, please contact Gabriella-harris@model.eku.edu.

Is this study voluntary?

You decided whether you want to participate in this study or not. This means your participation is voluntary. If you choose not to participate, you will not be penalized or lose any benefits. You may choose to stop participating in this study at any time. If you choose to stop, you will not be penalized or lose any benefits. Once you submit your responses, though, I cannot omit them as I will not know which one is your response.

What will this information be used for?

This project is being conducted as part of an exercise in learning about the research process. This data is not being collected for research purposes, and the project has not been approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB). The data will be used solely for the course assignment, and results will not be shared beyond the classroom.