Thinking About Taking Part in Health Research? Start Here
What exactly is health research and why is it important to get involved?
We’re kicking off a new series of blog posts designed to support people who are interested in participating in health research. Each post will cover a different topic to help you feel more informed and confident about getting involved.
Sometimes, people who want to take part in health research don’t know how to get involved. On the other side, researchers have a similar problem; they need people to take part in studies but sometimes find it difficult to find the right people to participate. That’s where platforms like Join Us come in by connecting everyday people with research opportunities across Australia.
Participating in studies is incredibly useful when it comes to developing new treatments and cures for a wide variety of health conditions.
To help explain it all, we recommend watching this short explainer video from SHARE, a register based in Scotland, a lot like Join Us in Australia. It gives a great overview of why research needs people like you.
Ten things to think about before you participate in research
Through Join Us, you may receive invitations to participate in different health research studies. When you find a study that interests you, here are ten things to consider before deciding to take part:
- Know the Purpose: Understand what the study is about and why it’s being done.
- Informed Consent: You’ll get detailed information about the study. Make sure you understand it and ask questions if needed.
- Voluntary Participation: You can join or leave the study anytime without any consequences.
- Risks and Benefits: Be aware of any possible risks and benefits. Some studies might help you directly, others might not.
- Your Privacy: Your personal info will be kept private and secure. Researchers need to follow strict protocols to make sure your information is safe.
- What’s involved: Find out what you’ll need to do, how long it will take, and any tests or treatments involved.
- Costs and Compensation: Check if there are any costs or if you’ll be paid for your time.
- Ethical Oversight: Studies are reviewed to make sure they’re safe and ethical.
- Support during the study: Find out what help you’ll get during the study, like medical care or counselling.
- Your time and routine: Think about how the study might affect your daily routine.
If you have any questions about a study, ask the research team (the people conducting the study, which is different to the Join Us team) for more information.
You can read more about what you should know about taking part in health research here: https://www.australianclinicaltrials.gov.au/participants/what-you-should-know
