My name is Idris Choudrey, I am a Ph.D. Psychology student at Birmingham City University. I am conducting a research project looking at Influenza, Depression, and Visual Attention. We wish to see the effects Influenza has on both Depression and Visual Attention, and how these factors may interact with one another. Ethical approval has been given for this study by the BCU psychological ethics committee.
“The signs and symptoms of flu can include fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue (tiredness). Cold symptoms are usually milder than the symptoms of flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems.”
- CDC, 2024 (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/coldflu.html)
Research Questions:
To investigate how the Influenza, Depression, and Visual Attention may affect one another.
Participation:
The study will involve a few questions and two scales, all done online, taking approximately 15 minutes of your time. I will be gathering approximately 210 participants for this study and would love to invite you to take part in this study. Participants will need to be able to speak, read, and write in English. Participants will need to be over the age of 18.
Please see two examples of the questions that will be present in the scales.
“It’s very hard for me to concentrate on a difficult task when there are noises around.”
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor Disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree”
“Irritability (Pick one)
I am not more irritable than usual.
I am more irritable than usual.
I am much more irritable than usual.
I am irritable all the time.”
The purpose of this information leaflet is to inform you about the project so that you can decide whether you want to take part. I have invited you to take part in this study as you either have had Influenza in the last 4 weeks or will be used as part of a control group for those who have not had Influenza in the last 4 weeks.
Participation is completely voluntary and if you decide to not take part you will not be affected in any way outside of this study. All participants have the right to informed consent, to withdraw, and anonymity, if there are any concerns regarding these please let the researcher know via the details below.
Potential Benefit or Risk:
There are no known risks associated with the current study. The study will discuss issues surrounding Depression, if you feel like you may need to speak to someone, please use the free, publicly available counselling and support services from the Samaritans and SHOUT as seen below.
Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours.
Text "SHOUT" to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text "YM" if you're under 19.
Information:
Participation will involve online questionnaires and scales; this will take approximately 15 minutes. The study will be done on your own time, following this page. There will be a consent form following this page, followed by the study, and then finally a debrief sheet at the end. If you would like a summary of the findings, please email the researcher on the email at the bottom of the page.
Confidentiality/Anonymity:
The data will remain confidential as the information will not be accessible to anyone apart from myself and my supervisory team for this project. No identifying data will be used within this study to ensure anonymity and confidentiality. All data with be stored and managed following GDPR guidelines. If you do have any issues or concerns regarding data storage or use, please contact the researcher via the email at the bottom of the form.
Ability to Withdraw:
Participation in this research is entirely voluntary, and you would be able to withdraw from the research, without giving reasons before, during, and after the study, this can be done by emailing the researcher with your unique 4-digit code, (entering the start of the study) asking to withdraw from the study. You will be able to withdraw via email up to 28/12/2026.
Complaints:
If you do have any complaints that you do not wish to bring up to the researcher or supervisor, please contact
BLSSEthics@bcu.ac.uk
Consent:
If you do consent to partake in this study and all the information presented, please complete the following consent form. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about how we use or handle your information please contact the Data Protection Officer:
Data Protection Officer, Information Management, Legal Services,
Joseph Priestley Building, Cardigan Street, Birmingham, B4 7RJ.
informationmanagement@bcu.ac.uk
+44 (0) 121 202 4597
Thank you,
Researchers: Idris Choudrey
Primary Supervisor: Eirini Mavritsaki
Located: Birmingham City University,
Department of Psychology and Counselling, Curzon Building
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