A webpage highlighting the research of Dr. Katie N. Dainty and her team
Influence of Cultural and Religious Beliefs on Bystander CPR
INFORMATION ABOUT THE STUDY
Purpose of the Research
People who are present during out-of-hospital medical emergencies are called bystanders and they can have a significant impact on the outcome of the situation. However, many people feel unsafe or unprepared to deal with a medical emergency. At present, we don’t know very much about how some cultural groups, including Muslim Canadians, feel about medical emergencies and how they can best be supported to respond as bystanders. The goal of this research is to understand how we can improve first aid education programs and enhance our community’s understanding of emergency first aid. We hope to develop recommendations for the Peel Paramedic Services and better understand the role religious beliefs may play in bystander responses.
This research study has been approved by North York General Hospital Research Ethics Board (#2024-0409-1026) and the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board (Protocol #: 00046649)
Description of the Research
This is a qualitative research study that will use one-on-one interviews with volunteers to collect data. As a member of this community, your perspective and lived experience would be highly valuable for this study.
The interviews will be conducted by a trained interviewer with qualitative research expertise. The interviews will take approximately 30-60 minutes and will be scheduled at a time that is convenient and comfortable for you. All interviews will be conducted by telephone, video-conference, or in person (based on your preferences), audio-taped, and transcribed verbatim. If you do not wish to be audio-taped, you may still take part in the interview and the researcher will use field notes to capture your responses. We anticipate interviewing approximately 30-40 participants for this study.
Potential Benefits
While there are no direct benefits associated with this study, there may be some indirect benefits for participants. Based on our past experiences with this type of research, some participants find that the opportunity to discuss their perspectives and experiences can itself be a positive experience. Participants may appreciate the opportunity to share their perspectives and experiences with emergency medical care and contribute to informing culturally competent care, such as improved first aid education programs, with their community.
Potential Harms (Injury, Discomforts or Inconvenience)
We do not anticipate any harms, injuries or discomforts to occur during your participation in this study. However, it is possible you may experience anxiety or distress while discussing your experiences and perspectives. You may take breaks during the interview, skip questions, decline to answer any questions you prefer, avoid any topics you don’t wish to discuss, and stop the interview at any time. Your comfort is the most important thing.
Alternatives to Participating
Participation in any research study is voluntary. If you choose not to participate, this will have no effect on your relationship with North York General Hospital or any other health care facility. If you decide to participate in this study you can change your mind without giving a reason, and you may withdraw from the study at any time prior to the completion of data analysis. Your participation or choice not to participate will have no effect on your relationship or the care that you or any of your family members receive at North York General Hospital.
Privacy & Confidentiality
The research team is committed to respecting your privacy and confidentiality. We will make every effort to keep your study information private and confidential in accordance with all applicable privacy legislation in Ontario.
Participation and Withdrawal
Participation in this interview is entirely voluntary. If you chose to participate in this study, you may withdraw at any time prior to the completion of data analysis. If you withdraw from the study after the interview, your information will not be used in the analysis. Once the study results have been analyzed by the investigators, we will provide each of the participants with a summary for their review.
Expenses Associated with Participating in the Study
We do not anticipate that there will be any costs to you for participating in this study.
Study Contacts
If you have any questions about the study, please contact Noah Merali at noah.merali@mail.utoronto.ca