DATA PROTECTION

Your privacy is very important to us.

In the sections below, you will find information about how we protect any information you share with us.

If you have any questions that aren't answered here, you can contact the study lead Dr Áine Travers at: aine.travers@dcu.ie.

Will my data be kept confidential?

Yes, if you participate in the survey or an interview, your data will be pseudonymized, meaning that your email address will be stored separately from your survey or interview data, in a secure password-protected folder, accessed only by the immediate research team through DCU encrypted laptops. A key will be created, which will link your email address to a unique ID number. This ID number will be used to link the data across each wave of the survey.

If something in your survey makes us concerned about your immediate safety or wellbeing (for example, if you disclose experiencing serious ongoing abuse or active suicidality) we may reach out to you with an option of receiving direct one-to-one support. In this situation, it is your decision whether you wish to engage with this. The risk of breaches to your data privacy in this project is considered to be low. However, if your data were to be compromised in any way we will inform you of that immediately.

How will my information be used?

Survey data will be stored in a password-encrypted file which only the immediate research team will have access to. Survey responses will be stored in a password protected Google Drive folder, and will only be accessed via DCU-encrypted laptops from agreed locations. The results of this research will be published in research journals and presented at both national and international conferences, as well as integrated into a doctoral thesis. Data will be destroyed five years after the culmination of the project. This will occur on May 1st, 2034.

Has the project received ethical approval?

Yes, the ECHO Project has received ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee in Dublin City University [DCUREC2024/193]. If you wish to contact an independent person with any questions or concerns about this study, you can contact: The Secretary, Dublin City University Research Ethics Committee, c/o Research and Innovation Support, Dublin City University, Dublin 9. Tel 01-7008000, e-mail rec@dcu.ie

Are there any limits to confidentiality?

Please note that confidentiality of information can only be protected within the limitations of the law - i.e., it is possible for data to be subject to subpoena, freedom of information claim or mandated reporting by some professions.

The data processor and data controller is Dublin City University.

Data protection officer details: Mr. Martin Ward (data.protection@dcu.ie Ph.: 7005118 / 7008257)