UOP Covid-19 Mobility Tracking Project

We would like to invite you to take part in this research study into movement, behaviour and risk perceptions and their effect on the spread of Covid-19. Joining the study is entirely up to you. Before you decide we would like you to understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you. Please feel free to talk to others about the study if you wish. We have also produced a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the website. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact the survey team at the address given on the main page.

This study is analysing the movements of students and staff in the city of Portsmouth in order to understand how this affects the spread of Covid-19. The information obtained will be used to develop mathematical models of both movements and disease spread, and to improve our understanding of risk in different areas of the city and University. As part of this research we would like you to use a mobile phone-based app (FollowMee) to track your movements, and to regularly make use of the University's free Covid-19 testing program, which allows you to get tested even if you don't have symptoms.

In addition, there is an online survey that we would like you to complete each week to understand the reasons for your movement patterns.

In order to take part in this research, you will first need to give preliminary agreement to the terms and conditions below. You can then set up the tracking app. After this is done you can fill in the first survey, and reconfirm your consent to participate. You will not be asked to provide any information that could be considered sensitive or confidential. In addition, please note that you can suspend the tracking app if you do not wish to be tracked continuously. Providing your consent will be considered to be an indication that you are participating of your own free will and without pressure. 

Your contribution will be kept confidential; no information that connects you to your contribution will be used in the study report or any other publications. You will be assigned a unique ID number (Device ID) and all information about you will be assigned to that number within any databases used for analysis. The document linking you to your ID number will be stored separately and securely from any dataset used for analysis in strict accordance with the data protection protocols of the University of Portsmouth Research Data Management Policy.  

All digital data, including tracking and survey results, will be stored in accordance with university standards. The raw survey data will be kept securely within the survey host’s password-protected website until the survey ends, at which point it will be removed and stored securely within the University. Only the University of Portsmouth research team will have access to the data. The raw data will be retained for a minimum of 10 years. When it is no longer required, the data will be disposed of securely.

1. I confirm that I have read and understood the above information about the research project. I have had the opportunity to consider the information, ask questions and have had these answered satisfactorily.
2. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw from the research at any time without giving a reason.
3. I agree that my data may be used in future comparable research which has been reviewed by an ethics committee and received a favourable ethical opinion.
4. I accept that the anonymised data I have provided will form part of a wider sample, which may be reported within the University or published in a journal.
5. I accept that I may be quoted verbatim but anonymously in a report or research paper, to demonstrate example responses or perceptions.
6. I agree to make my tracking data available to the research team on a weekly basis and understand that this data will only be used in an anonymised form using my unique ID, if required, in any data analysis or publications.
7. I accept that I will need to download a tracking app to my mobile phone and that my locational data will then be used in the research project
8. I agree to take part in the above research project.