Gallaudet University has shared a COVID-19 survey, inviting the entire Deaf* community to participate in the survey. Dr. Poorna Kushalnager, Ph.D, wants to determine what the Deaf* community’s general perception and opinion about what’s happening with the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey’s introduction page includes a video of a light-skinned individual, who signs out the purpose of the survey. (The person in the video is wearing a black shirt with a blue background and they also have a stubble beard and chin-length hair).
In the video and text summary, it is stated that you can take the survey online and it should only take ten minutes to complete. A disclaimer also warns survey takers that the data collected from this survey may be shared with other Deaf-centered public health organizations so that they can develop messages for the community as a whole. Dr. Kushalnager is the principal investigator (someone who is in charge of the study), and she is the only person to have access to both your identifying information and participant data. This is to protect your confidentiality and prevent any breach of information.
Julia Velasquez is the point of contact for any questions you may have about the research (deafhealth@gallaudet.edu); you, however, are free to reach out to Dr. Kushalnager as well (poorna.kushalnager@gallaudet.edu).
Do you want to take the survey? You need to meet the survey’s eligibility criteria first, as set forth in the preliminary announcement on the front of the survey under the Deaf Health Communication and Quality of Life Center.
You must be deaf/hard of hearing, be 18 years old or older, have read and agreed to their informed consent form, and voluntarily sign up for participation in the survey. If you prefer a prefer an ASLized survey, the same individual that appears on the informed consent form (front page) signs all the survey questions and answers.
