Dear forum moderator,
My name is Donna Moore and I am a researcher at City University London. As part of my ongoing research on postnatal distress I am looking at how internet forums on postnatal mental illness may benefit women. I was hoping to get your consent to include your forums archived messages from the past 6 months in a large analysis of a number of forums. Care has been taken to ensure forum users privacy, anonymity and safety and the project has been granted ethical approval by City University London School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee. I have attached the forum user information sheet for you to look at which has more details on the research (see below). Please email me if you have any questions, thank you for your time.
Kind regards,
Donna
A thematic analysis of online forums for postnatal mental illness
Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. It is important that you understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information.
What is the purpose of the study?
Postnatal illness, such as postnatal depression, anxiety and PTSD after childbirth, are global health concerns. As part of our ongoing research we are looking at ways the internet could be a useful addition to treatment for women with postnatal mental distress. Internet forums for postnatal mental illness are increasingly popular, but little research has looked at the possible positive or negative impact on women. This study aims to explore women's online experiences of using forums dedicated to postnatal mental illness by looking at the threads from the past 6 months.
My name is Donna Moore and my supervisor is Dr Susan Ayers, chartered health psychologist and professor of child and maternal mental health at City university. This study is part of my PhD in Health Psychology at City University London.
How am I involved?
We are looking at randomly selected threads from a number of postnatal mental health forums and if you have contributed to a thread your posts may be included in the analysis.
Do I have to take part?
We appreciate the sometimes delicate nature of posts and we have put in place extensive measures to ensure the privacy of forums users. However, we wanted to inform forum users of our study and if for any reason you do not want your posts to be included please contact us and if they are in the selected threads we will exclude them.
What will happen if I take part?
Threads from the past 6 months will be copied into a software package and themes will be identified. User names will be changed to ensure anonymity and if we quote any posts they will be kept short to ensure they are not traceable through an internet search. Only posts in public threads will be included. Private or members only sections or threads will not be included. Major themes will be identified by both researchers and organised into a framework that looks at how women are using the WWW to cope with their illness and the interactions between forum users.
What do I have to do?
Nothing. If you would like more information or would like to know the outcome of the study please contact us.
What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?
There are no anticipated disadvantages or risks in taking part in the study.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
You have a chance to help other women with postnatal mental illness and their families by increasing our understanding of the internet in the role of recovery.
What will happen when the research study stops?
Information is kept secure (password protected) and will only be used for this study. We have to keep the information for a set time before destroying it.
Will my taking part in the study be kept confidential?
Yes. We will make sure the data is anonymous and are that we are the only researchers who have access to it. Threads will be stored electronically on the principle researchers computer, safeguarded by password. There will be a back up copy on a USB stick stored in a locked filing cabinet. After ten years data will be securely deleted.
What will happen to results of the research study?
We aim to publish our findings in a scientific journal and it will be included in a PhD thesis. You will not be identified in any part of the report, article or summary.
If you would like a summary of the findings please email us your contact details.
What will happen if I dont want to carry on with the study?
It is fine if you do not want to be included, please just email one of us with your forum user name and let us know so we can withdraw any posts.
What if there is a problem?
If you would like to complain about any aspect of the study, City University London has established a complaints procedure via the Secretary to the Universitys Senate Research Ethics Committee. To complain about the study, you need to phone 020 7040 3040. You can then ask to speak to the Secretary*to Senate Research Ethics Committee and inform them that the name of the project is:..................................................
You could also write to the Secretary at:
Anna Ramberg
Secretary to Senate Research Ethics Committee*
Research Office, E214
City University London
Northampton Square
London
EC1V 0HB************************************
Email:*[email protected]
Who has reviewed the study?
This study has been approved by City University London School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee
Further information and contact details
Donna Moore principal researcher
PhD researcher in Health Psychology
School of Health Sciences
City University London
London EC1A 7QN
[email protected]
Susan Ayers
Professor of Maternal and Child Health
School of Health Sciences
City University London
London EC1A 7QN
T: +44 (0)20 7040 5834
[email protected]
Thank you for taking the time to read this information sheet.
My name is Donna Moore and I am a researcher at City University London. As part of my ongoing research on postnatal distress I am looking at how internet forums on postnatal mental illness may benefit women. I was hoping to get your consent to include your forums archived messages from the past 6 months in a large analysis of a number of forums. Care has been taken to ensure forum users privacy, anonymity and safety and the project has been granted ethical approval by City University London School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee. I have attached the forum user information sheet for you to look at which has more details on the research (see below). Please email me if you have any questions, thank you for your time.
Kind regards,
Donna
A thematic analysis of online forums for postnatal mental illness
Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. It is important that you understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information.
What is the purpose of the study?
Postnatal illness, such as postnatal depression, anxiety and PTSD after childbirth, are global health concerns. As part of our ongoing research we are looking at ways the internet could be a useful addition to treatment for women with postnatal mental distress. Internet forums for postnatal mental illness are increasingly popular, but little research has looked at the possible positive or negative impact on women. This study aims to explore women's online experiences of using forums dedicated to postnatal mental illness by looking at the threads from the past 6 months.
My name is Donna Moore and my supervisor is Dr Susan Ayers, chartered health psychologist and professor of child and maternal mental health at City university. This study is part of my PhD in Health Psychology at City University London.
How am I involved?
We are looking at randomly selected threads from a number of postnatal mental health forums and if you have contributed to a thread your posts may be included in the analysis.
Do I have to take part?
We appreciate the sometimes delicate nature of posts and we have put in place extensive measures to ensure the privacy of forums users. However, we wanted to inform forum users of our study and if for any reason you do not want your posts to be included please contact us and if they are in the selected threads we will exclude them.
What will happen if I take part?
Threads from the past 6 months will be copied into a software package and themes will be identified. User names will be changed to ensure anonymity and if we quote any posts they will be kept short to ensure they are not traceable through an internet search. Only posts in public threads will be included. Private or members only sections or threads will not be included. Major themes will be identified by both researchers and organised into a framework that looks at how women are using the WWW to cope with their illness and the interactions between forum users.
What do I have to do?
Nothing. If you would like more information or would like to know the outcome of the study please contact us.
What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?
There are no anticipated disadvantages or risks in taking part in the study.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
You have a chance to help other women with postnatal mental illness and their families by increasing our understanding of the internet in the role of recovery.
What will happen when the research study stops?
Information is kept secure (password protected) and will only be used for this study. We have to keep the information for a set time before destroying it.
Will my taking part in the study be kept confidential?
Yes. We will make sure the data is anonymous and are that we are the only researchers who have access to it. Threads will be stored electronically on the principle researchers computer, safeguarded by password. There will be a back up copy on a USB stick stored in a locked filing cabinet. After ten years data will be securely deleted.
What will happen to results of the research study?
We aim to publish our findings in a scientific journal and it will be included in a PhD thesis. You will not be identified in any part of the report, article or summary.
If you would like a summary of the findings please email us your contact details.
What will happen if I dont want to carry on with the study?
It is fine if you do not want to be included, please just email one of us with your forum user name and let us know so we can withdraw any posts.
What if there is a problem?
If you would like to complain about any aspect of the study, City University London has established a complaints procedure via the Secretary to the Universitys Senate Research Ethics Committee. To complain about the study, you need to phone 020 7040 3040. You can then ask to speak to the Secretary*to Senate Research Ethics Committee and inform them that the name of the project is:..................................................
You could also write to the Secretary at:
Anna Ramberg
Secretary to Senate Research Ethics Committee*
Research Office, E214
City University London
Northampton Square
London
EC1V 0HB************************************
Email:*[email protected]
Who has reviewed the study?
This study has been approved by City University London School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee
Further information and contact details
Donna Moore principal researcher
PhD researcher in Health Psychology
School of Health Sciences
City University London
London EC1A 7QN
[email protected]
Susan Ayers
Professor of Maternal and Child Health
School of Health Sciences
City University London
London EC1A 7QN
T: +44 (0)20 7040 5834
[email protected]
Thank you for taking the time to read this information sheet.
