Ethics Steps

Ethics Steps taken by the Group

In order to conduct research with a vulnerable population, our team decided to go through the Research Ethics Board at York University. Our team worked together to complete the Human Participants Research Committee (HPRC) form to ensure the research is conducted in an ethical manner. We collected data by conducting surveys and the participants were physiotherapists and individuals who use a wheelchair. Participants were gathered through various Canadian organizations found online. We also used a template recruitment script we collaboratively made when contacting potential organizations that has also been reviewed by the Ethics Committee. We decided to store all the survey data in a password protected shared file and delete it once the project was done.

Additionally, all the survey responses collected will be kept anonymous to protect confidentiality of the participants. Individuals will not have to disclose their personal information unless they want to participate in a draw, but that is voluntary and the information will not be shared outside of our research group. We have also made sure the consent form clearly communicates that participation is voluntary to allow the participants freedom of choice and the purpose of the project, expected duration, outcomes, benefits, risks, discomforts, etc. We have also provided a personal email on the consent form in case any participants have questions they would like the research team to answer before or after the study. We also have a list of mental health resources readily available in case participants reach out in need of support.

Furthermore, to avoid bias and stereotyping, our team used blogs, articles and online forums to educate ourselves about the lives of individuals with disabilities to ensure there is no intentional discrimination. Overall, all the ethics steps taken by our team have made sure to minimize harms and risks, maximize benefits, and respect human dignity, privacy and autonomy.