This survey, adapted from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's standard Food Security Survey, is intended to assess the food security of Eastern Kentucky University students in Spring 2018.

Consent to Participate in a Research Study: Survey of Food Security among Eastern Kentucky University Students

As a current (Spring 2018) EKU student, you are one of about 14,000 students being invited to take part in a research study about EKU students’ food security. By doing this study, the university hopes to determine the extent to which food insecurity is a concern for our students, identify ways to address food insecurity concerns among current students, and plan for ways to address food insecurity among future students.

Your participation will take approximately 10 minutes and will require an online response to a short survey. To the best of our knowledge, completing the survey will have no more risk of harm than you would experience in everyday life.  The topic of food insecurity is personal and, for some students, difficult or awkward to talk about. To help ease those feelings, each survey item includes an option to indicate that you prefer not answer that item.  

Unless you self-identify in the final survey item, this study is anonymous. Unless you self-identify, no one, not even members of the research team, will know that the information you give came from you. If you self-identify in the final question, no one outside the research team will know you gave any information or what that information is, except in cases where your information may be shared with appropriate support personnel, including those with the Colonel's Cupboard, the Dean of Students, etc. Your information will be combined with information from other people taking part in the study. When we write up the study to share it with other researchers, we will write about this combined information.  You will not be identified in these written materials even if you self-identify.

There is no guarantee that you personally will get any benefit from taking part in this study, but your response will help us implement measures to benefit the university community. In addition, if you self-identify and intervention related to food insecurity is needed, we will contact you to help you make connections with people who can help you.  

The person in charge of this study is Dr. Gill Hunter (Principal Investigator), EKU’s Executive Director, Retention and Graduation. There may be other people on the research team assisting at different times during the study.  If you have questions about the study, before or after completing it, you can contact Dr. Hunter at 859-622-8010 or gill.hunter@eku.edu. If you have any questions about your rights as a research volunteer, you can contact the staff in EKU’s Division of Sponsored Programs at 859-622-3636 or sponsored.programs@eku.edu.

Your participation in this study is voluntary.  If you decide you don’t want to participate, there is no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.  By choosing to complete and submit this survey, you agree that you have read and understand the information above and voluntarily agree to participate in the research study.