In an effort to enhance the experience of individuals who take part in studies as research participants at the University of Michigan, the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and the Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR) will distribute an electronic survey this fall to 500 randomly sampled research participants.

The 25-question survey will help the university assess the effectiveness of its practices, emphasize research participant outcomes, and aid in the assessment and improvement of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

U-M joins fellow Clinical and Translational Science Award institutions in deploying the survey as part of a broader Empowering the Participant Voice (EPV) Initiative. Supported by the National Institutes of Health, EPV was designed to develop, implement and deploy a validated instrument called the Research Participant Perception Survey (RPPS) across academic institutions nationwide.

HRPP and MICHR are collaborating with the Clinical Trials Support Office and the Data Office for Clinical & Translational Research to implement the survey. The electronic survey will be sent twice a year to 500 randomly selected individuals who have participated in U-M research projects, with the first email scheduled for September.

Survey questions range in scope from informed consent, communication, courtesy and respect to trust, privacy, language and culture. Responses will remain confidential and the data will be analyzed at the institutional level – not the study level.

De-identified aggregate data will eventually be shared with the U-M research community. Data also will be shared through a national analytics dashboard that aggregates RPPS feedback across all participating institutions, and will aid in informing the public about how participants experience research at U-M.

There is no action item at this time for the U-M community, but as key stakeholders who help drive our success as a leading public research university, we wanted you to be aware of the university’s participation in this national effort. Learn more about EPV.

Please contact ResearchParticipantSurvey@umich.edu if you have any questions.