FAQ

Do I have to take part?

Participation in any research study is voluntary. If you do not want to take part, you do not have to. If you decide you want to take part in the research study, you will be asked to:

  • Read the information carefully

  • Complete the online questionnaire

Are there any risks involved?

We don’t expect this survey to cause any harm or discomfort, however if you experience feelings of distress as a result of participation in this study, we encourage you to contact a service that provides free, confidential support to gay and bisexual men, such as QLife. You can also contact us to send feedback on the survey, if you're concerned about it.

What are the possible benefits to participation?

The results of this study are already being used for the development of HIV prevention policy and the implementation of new HIV prevention technologies in Australia. The 2023 survey will further inform stakeholders about the best ways to educate gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men about new prevention technologies.

I am a trans man or non-binary, can I participate?

Yes. If you are a trans man who has sex with other men then we encourage you to participate. We have developed questions unique to your trans experience and are very keen to be trans inclusive in the work we do. If you are non-binary we also encourage you to take part. The survey includes questions about sex and relationships with men, women and non-binary people.

What will happen to the information about me?

Submission of the online questionnaire is an indication of your consent. By clicking the ‘I agree to participate’ button you are providing your permission for the research team to collect and use information about you for the research study. Your data will be securely stored in a non-identifiable format at the Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW. If you provide your contact details to receive feedback on the survey, your contact details will be stored separately from your survey responses. This will ensure that your responses remain confidential.

What if I want to withdraw from the study?

If you do consent to participate, you may withdraw at any time. You can do this by closing the survey. If you withdraw from the research, any answers you have submitted up to that point will still be recorded. Once you have submitted the survey, we will not be able to withdraw your survey responses unless you have provided contact details. If you would like us to withdraw your survey responses, contact James MacGibbon (details below) as soon as possible to make the request. Please note that because we store identifiable information (first name and emails) separately from survey responses, it will only be possible for us to withdraw your responses from the survey website while recruitment is ongoing.

What if I have further questions?

If you require further information about the study or if you have any problems related to your involvement in the study, you can contact the lead investigator:

Dr James MacGibbon
Email: j.macgibbon@unsw.edu.au
Phone: 02 9348 1246

For media and other enquiries, you can contact the senior investigator:

Professor Martin Holt 
Email: m.holt@unsw.edu.au 
Phone: 02 9385 6410

What if I have a complaint or any concerns about the study?

If you have a complaint regarding any aspect of the study or the way it is being conducted, please contact the UNSW Human Ethics Coordinator:

Human Research Ethics Coordinator 
Email: humanethics@unsw.edu.au 
Phone: 02 9385 6222

A copy of the full Participant Information Sheet is available here. See the Thai version here (เวอร์ชันภาษาไทย) and the simplified Chinese version here (简体中文版本).