Informed Consent

-You may have accessed this page because you indicated an interest in participating in a research study exploring how extreme heat impacts communities.
-Further information about a survey that is a part of the study is provided below.
-Please carefully read the information below before "clicking" I agree.

-We are interested in learning how changing the manmade structures in which we live, work, and play (such as buildings and parks) can reduce the impact of extreme heat and improve health and health equity in cities.
-This study is being conducted by the City of Baltimore's Office of Sustainability, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

-If you agree to participate in the survey, you will be asked to answer questions online using REDcap, a secure online platform for surveys.
-The first part of the survey will contain questions regarding your involvement in your community.
-During the second part of the survey, you will be asked about your demographic information such as your age, self-identified racial identity, and residency.
-During the last part of the survey, you will be asked about your interest in participating in our study activities and your contact information.
-You do not have to participate in this survey or join this study. It is your choice and there is no penalty for not participating in this survey or not joining this study.
-Please contact us to ask as many questions as you need to before making your decision.
-Please review the details outlined on the rest of this page before deciding.

-It may take up to 15 minutes to answer all of the questions.

-Data collected as part of the survey will be used to assess your eligibility to join the study. 
-Any information that you provide will be de-identified so that it cannot be linked back to you.
-This information may be used with other participant data to assess study eligibility.

-There are few risks involved in participating in the survey.  
-If you are uncomfortable answering some of the questions or would prefer not to answer a question, just leave it blank.
-Despite all safeguards and protections, there is always a risk to confidentiality and anonymity when personal identifying information is collected to contact participants and to obtain informed consent.
-We will take every precaution to keep your personal identifying information safe.

-The personal identifying information that you provide us in this survey will be temporarily linked with an anonymized study ID while we are collecting data.
-This link will be destroyed at the end of data collection.
-Your personal identifying information will be stored separately from the information that we collect through this survey on a secure server at Johns Hopkins University called JHU OneDrive.
-We ask that you fill in this survey in a safe, private location and that you close your browser window once you have finished filling in the survey.

-There is no direct benefit to you from participating in this survey.
-The data collected as part of this study will be used to better understand how changing the manmade structures in which we live, work, and play can reduce the impact of climate change and improve health and health equity in cities. -Participation does not increase the likelihood or speed of receiving a cool roof through any Baltimore City programs.

-You will not be paid for completing this survey. 
-If you are selected to participate in all study activities, you may be eligible to receive up to a total of $40 in online Amazon, Target, or Walmart gift cards.
-As a participant, you will not own your research data, and you will not benefit financially from any new product or idea that might arise from our work.
-We will not give you the results of the study. Instead, we will inform participants and others of the study results through dissemination activities with organizations.

-You can start the survey and change your mind later.
-If you wish to stop participating in the study at any time, please tell us right away.
-Your participation is voluntary, and you can exit the page at any time.

-You can email or call the study team at: climatechange@jh.edu or 443-977-6719. 
-You can email or call the principal investigator, Dr. Kirsten Koehler at: kkoehle@jhu.edu or 410-955-7706.
-You may also contact the study Institutional Review Board (IRB) at 410-955-3193 or jhsph.irboffice@jhu.edu.

-By clicking "I Agree" below you are indicating that you are at least 18 years old, have read this consent information and agree to answer the following questions.