Attention:
Students who Assist an Older Adult or Person Living with a Disability

If you are a college student and you provide any level of support for an older adult or person living with a disability – please read on. A team of researchers from Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University is conducting a College Student Caregiver Study to learn more about your experience and how we can help. You may not think of yourself as a “Caregiver” but if you can identify with the following definition, we invite you to participate in a very brief, anonymous online survey. Your participation will lead to improved student caregiver resources as well as the opportunity to receive one of twenty $50 gift cards as a token of appreciation, if you choose to provide your name and email address upon completion of the survey. Please respond by Tuesday, November 23rd to be eligible.

Definition of a Student Caregiver: A student caregiver is someone who provides ongoing support and assistance (usually unpaid) to an older person (not parenting a minor), living with a chronic illness, disability or life impairing health condition, while also enrolled as a part-time or full-time student in a college, university, professional or vocational school. Assistance may include handling finances, personal care, running errands, assisting with appointments, household chores such as cooking, cleaning, and preparing food, or providing emotional support. Caregiving may take place in a person’s home, a care setting, or from a distance.

Does this statement apply to you?

• No: If this statement does not apply to you, or you do not wish to complete the survey, there is no need to continue. However, please consider taking 2-3 minutes to answer only the first question as it will help us understand how many students are in this position. You can then opt out of completing the survey.
• Yes: but you do not wish to complete the survey - please consider taking 2-3 minutes to answer only the first question as it will help us understand how many students are in this position. You can then opt out of completing the survey.
• Yes: Your participation in a brief, anonymous survey would provide us with invaluable information that can guide improved services to help you and other caregivers be successful in your caregiving role, school, and life. Completing the survey will give you an opportunity to receive one of twenty $50 gift cards.

Instructions: Please read the consent statement on the next page of this email. If you wish to continue, please take a few minutes to complete the survey by clicking here. If you wish to be eligible for the gift card drawing, please complete your contact information on the last, separate page of the survey. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this study.

Research Participant Information and Consent Form
College Students as Family Caregivers

Study Purpose: You are being asked to complete this anonymous survey as part of a research study titled College Students as Family Caregiversbeing conducted by researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) and Eastern Michigan University (EMU). Your participation will take approximately 15-20 minutes. The research team is led by Dr. Clare Luz, MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. It is funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. The purpose of the research is to learn more about college students who are attending school while providing support to an older adult or person living with a disability. These students may find caregiving rewarding but are also at risk for health, economic, and academic challenges. It is important to understand the potential joys and challenges these students face. Findings will be used to improve University services and resources for college student caregivers at MSU and EMU.

Risks and Benefits: Participation in this study is completely anonymous and voluntary. There are no direct benefits except the knowledge that you are contributing to improved services that can benefit future students, and an opportunity to receive one of twenty $50 gift cards as a token of appreciation, if you choose to provide your name and email address upon completion of the survey. There are no known foreseeable psychological, emotional, physical, legal, privacy or other risks related to completing the survey. You have the right to say no to participation in the research. You can skip over any questions that make you uncomfortable and you can stop taking the survey at any time after it has already started, with no negative consequences other than no longer being eligible to receive a gift card.

Privacy: Your privacy is protected as this is an anonymous survey. There will be no way to attribute responses to you directly. All data will be electronic, and password protected. Only the research team will have access to data. All responses will be presented in aggregate form for purposes of presentations and reports. If you voluntarily choose to provide your name and email addresses to be eligible for a gift card, this information will be kept in a separate file from your survey responses and there will be no way to connect it with your survey responses.

If you are a MSU student and have concerns or questions about this study, please contact Shannon Harkins-Padgitt, Study Coordinator at harkins@msu.edu or Clare Luz, PhD, Principal Investigator at luz@msu.edu. If you have questions or concerns about your role and rights as a research participant, would like to obtain information or offer input, or would like to register a complaint about this study, you may contact, anonymously if you wish, the Michigan State University’s Human Research Protection Program at 517-355-2180, Fax 517-432-4503, or e-mail irb@msu.edu or regular mail at 4000 Collins Rd, Suite 136, Lansing, MI 48910.

If you are an EMU student and have questions about this research study, you may contact the Principal Investigator from EMU: Andrea Gossett Zakrajsek OTD, MS, OTRL, FNAP at azakrajs@emich.edu. For questions about your rights as a research subject, contact the Eastern Michigan University Human Subjects Review Committee at human.subjects@emich.edu or by phone at 734-487-3090.

Informed Consent: If you proceed, and choose to complete and submit the survey, this means that you voluntarily agree to participate in this research study.