IRB approval for this?

[Shibbyboi182]

I've scanned old threads on this, and am not really sure in my case.

I'm an undergrad putting together an indepedent research project that looks at amphethamine abuse (no presecriptions) on college campuses and categorizes participants based on frequency of use, age, reasons for use, school performance (gpa), etc.

The entire survey would be done online with an anonymous, random (arguably) sampling. Would this require IRB approval? My advisor is unsure. Her background is heavily statistics-based, which is why I came to him as my advisor. Also, would IRB approval vary significantly from institution to institution? (Namely, would the answer to my first question vary based on which school I was at?) Lastly, if it is case that my project would require IRB approval, how exactly does one go about obtaining it? Is it a pain?

***Sorry if anyone feels I'm paying the troll toll. My research experience has been purely low-level clinical.

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[texasgal87]

I've scanned old threads on this, and am not really sure in my case.

I'm an undergrad putting together an indepedent research project that looks at amphethamine abuse (no presecriptions) on college campuses and categorizes participants based on frequency of use, age, reasons for use, school performance (gpa), etc.

The entire survey would be done online with an anonymous, random (arguably) sampling. Would this require IRB approval? My advisor is unsure. Her background is heavily statistics-based, which is why I came to him as my advisor. Also, would IRB approval vary significantly from institution to institution? (Namely, would the answer to my first question vary based on which school I was at?) Lastly, if it is case that my project would require IRB approval, how exactly does one go about obtaining it? Is it a pain?

***Sorry if anyone feels I'm paying the troll toll. My research experience has been purely low-level clinical.

Usually research that uses surveys does not need IRB approval or if so it would be an expedited review (which is a much much shorter process). I would contact the IRB review board at your school and ask.

As for IRB approval it is tedious process to go through, but thats just something that comes with research. Good luck!

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

I've scanned old threads on this, and am not really sure in my case.

I'm an undergrad putting together an indepedent research project that looks at amphethamine abuse (no presecriptions) on college campuses and categorizes participants based on frequency of use, age, reasons for use, school performance (gpa), etc.

The entire survey would be done online with an anonymous, random (arguably) sampling. Would this require IRB approval? My advisor is unsure. Her background is heavily statistics-based, which is why I came to him as my advisor. Also, would IRB approval vary significantly from institution to institution? (Namely, would the answer to my first question vary based on which school I was at?) Lastly, if it is case that my project would require IRB approval, how exactly does one go about obtaining it? Is it a pain?

***Sorry if anyone feels I'm paying the troll toll. My research experience has been purely low-level clinical.

Talk to the IRB at your school. They get to determine whether a research project is exempt or needs review. You can't exempt yourself. Your project should be easy to submit for review. It is not pain, but rather some work spent writing and thinking things through.

IRB mechanics vary a little bit by insituation, but they are based on the same laws and principles. Read up on why we have them and what they do. For a boring review: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institutional_review_board and for an example of why we have them, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/02/health/research/02infect.html .

 

[jmt1984]

I've scanned old threads on this, and am not really sure in my case.

I'm an undergrad putting together an indepedent research project that looks at amphethamine abuse (no presecriptions) on college campuses and categorizes participants based on frequency of use, age, reasons for use, school performance (gpa), etc.

The entire survey would be done online with an anonymous, random (arguably) sampling. Would this require IRB approval? My advisor is unsure. Her background is heavily statistics-based, which is why I came to him as my advisor. Also, would IRB approval vary significantly from institution to institution? (Namely, would the answer to my first question vary based on which school I was at?) Lastly, if it is case that my project would require IRB approval, how exactly does one go about obtaining it? Is it a pain?

***Sorry if anyone feels I'm paying the troll toll. My research experience has been purely low-level clinical.

IRB approval can be a pain, but a necessary one. This is a bit of a gray area for what you are describing and I would think that you wouldn't need approval for what you outlined, but as the other posters said, check with the IRB office at your institution first.

 

[atsai3]

I've scanned old threads on this, and am not really sure in my case.

I'm an undergrad putting together an indepedent research project that looks at amphethamine abuse (no presecriptions) on college campuses and categorizes participants based on frequency of use, age, reasons for use, school performance (gpa), etc.

The entire survey would be done online with an anonymous, random (arguably) sampling. Would this require IRB approval? My advisor is unsure. Her background is heavily statistics-based, which is why I came to him as my advisor. Also, would IRB approval vary significantly from institution to institution? (Namely, would the answer to my first question vary based on which school I was at?) Lastly, if it is case that my project would require IRB approval, how exactly does one go about obtaining it? Is it a pain?

***Sorry if anyone feels I'm paying the troll toll. My research experience has been purely low-level clinical.

Any study based on patient-related data will need IRB approval. Depending on the degree of the risks to the participants, the IRB may simply tell you that it is "exempt", or offer you "expedited review" -- but you still need to submit an application to the IRB for them to tell you that. If your study does not involve any health-related information (eg., an Internet survey about iPad vs. Android tablet preferences among college students) then you don't need IRB approval.

Your institution's IRB should have a web site with all the necessary forms. Filling out an application for exemption is not a pain. Filling out an application for expedited review is less of a pain. Filling out an application for full review is a lot of pain.