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Introduction

Participant Information and Informed Consent
An Invitation
My name is Natalie Hardaker, I am a PhD candidate based at the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Millennium. My PhD supervisors and co-investigators in this study are Professor Patria Hume and Dr Doug King.
You are invited to take part in this research study about concussion in the amateur football community. Your participation in this research is voluntary, if you agree to participate, you will need to complete the survey that follows below, this will take approximately 10 minutes. This Participant Information Section will help you decide if you’d like to take part in the study.  It explains why we are doing the research, what your participation will involve, what the benefits and risks might be, and what will happen after the study has finished. 
Please make sure you have read and understood all the information in this section before starting the study.
If you have any questions, you can contact the research team using the details at the end of this section. 

What is the purpose of this research?

This research is designed to assess current concussion knowledge and attitudes in players and coaches in amateur football from all over the world.  The study will also compare concussion knowledge and attitudes between female and male players and between players and coaches from different countries.
Research in other sports has shown that the level of concussion knowledge is low, and some players and coaches have a risky attitude towards managing concussion.  Research also shows that early recognition and management of concussion improves recovery, which in turn minimises the time lost from playing and protects player wellbeing. 
Findings from this study will identify where there are gaps in knowledge and will aim to identify any differences between female and male players, between countries and between coaches and players.  This will help to direct where to target concussion education and improve concussion management in amateur football.
The results of this research may be used for academic publications and presentations and may inform future research grant applications.

How was I identified and why am I being invited to participate in this research?

You have been invited to take part because you play or coach amateur football. You must be 16 years or older to participate. You are not eligible for this study if you have played or coached at the professional level.

How do I agree to participate in this research?

By completing the survey below, you are consenting to take part in the study. Your response to this survey will be completely anonymous, only your age, gender and level of participation will be recorded. You can withdraw from the study at any time by stopping the survey, and you do not need to provide a reason. If you choose not to participate it will not disadvantage you in any way. If you choose to withdraw from the study before completing the survey none of your data will be saved. However, as the survey is completely anonymous, once you complete the survey will not be possible to remove your data.

What will happen in this research?

You will need to complete the survey that follows below. The survey will ask you questions about the signs and symptoms of concussion in the first section, the second section includes scenarios about concussion and will ask some question about what you think. 
You will only be asked to complete the survey once and then your participation in the study will end.

What are the discomforts and risks?

There is no more risk in participating in this study than what is already voluntarily accepted in day-to-day activities. There is a small time cost to you as the participant in this study as outlined in the sections above.

What are the benefits?

As a participant you personally may benefit from this study by learning more about concussion and helping to identify gaps in knowledge and attitudes towards concussion that can be improved with targeted education and interventions. This will support amateur players and coaches in identifying and managing concussion and prioritise player wellbeing.
This study forms part of Natalie’s PhD research.

How will my privacy be protected?

This study does not require you to submit any personal information. No other players or coaches will know if you take part or not. All data collected as part of this study will be kept in secure storage under the responsibility of Dr Doug King in accordance with the requirements of the New Zealand Privacy Act (1993).  All data will be stored in accordance with AUTEC policy, the data will be stored securely for a period of 6 years.

What are the costs of participating in this research?

There are no direct financial costs to you as a participant in this study; this PhD research is part funded by Injury Prevention at the Accident Compensation Corporation.

Will I receive feedback on the results of this research?

The overall study results and fact sheet will be published onFemale Athlete Performance and Health research programme - SPRINZ - AUT” web page within three months of the study finishing. Results will also be shared through the social media channels used for recruitment.

What do I do if I have concerns about this research?

Any concerns regarding the nature of this project should be notified in the first instance to the Project Supervisor, Patria Hume, patria.hume@aut.ac.nz  +64 9 921 9999 ext. 7306.
Concerns regarding the conduct of the research should be notified to the Executive Secretary of AUTEC, ethics@aut.ac.nz  , (+649) 921 9999 ext 6038.

Whom do I contact for further information about this research?

Lead investigator – Natalie Hardaker, PhD candidate
Phone: 027 898 9023
Email: Natalie.hardaker@aut.ac.nz

Please complete the questions on the following pages. All sections are required to be completed to ensure validity of this research.

Approved by the Auckland University of Technology Ethics Committee on 26 July 2023, AUTEC Reference number 22/192.

By completing this survey, you are consenting to participate in the study.