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Can a person volunteer to participate in the environmental survey without having been selected?
Unfortunately not. All the children and adolescents selected to participate are representative of their age group, sex and location. They were selected according to a statistical method which aims to give the best possible reflection of the German population in this age group.
My child has been selected to participate. Why should we participate in the new German Environmental Survey?
Every single participant helps in the collective effort to determine the impact of the environment on children and adolescents in Germany. He or she is playing an important part in helping to protect future generations. Upon request, participants can obtain their personal test results – free of charge.
How will the results be used?
After about 4 to 6 months participants can request a copy of their results including an environmental health evaluation of the pollutants traced in their bodies and household. In cases of abnormal results it is advised to seek medical advice – for example at an outpatient environmental medicine clinic. The survey results are expected to be published one and a half years after the data is collected …
Will the results from the individual screening sites be evaluated separately?
There is no separate evaluation for the individual screening sites because the randomly selected cohort of children and adolescents is not representative of the individual screening sites.
How were the individual screening sites and children/adolescents selected?
To ensure the survey's representativeness the children and adolescents were selected in a two-step procedure. First, 167 communities were selected to take adequate account of all the federal states (Länder) and community sizes and to ensure a representative portrayal of those communities and the settlement structures in Germany. A screening site is thus weiterlesen representative of communities …
How will personal data be secured?
Study data is stored and evaluated without any reference to names or address. The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection was informed about the survey and approved the project as compliant with data privacy rules. Participation in the survey or any of its parts is voluntary. All participants were assured there will be no negative repercussions if they do not participate.
How much time do families have to invest when taking part in the environmental survey?
The average time required for sampling and the questionnaire is about 90 minutes.
Who is responsible for quality assurance?
The survey adheres to the Guidelines and Recommendations to Assure Good Epidemiologic Practice of the German Society for Epidemiology (DGEpi). The Ethics Commission of the Berlin Chamber of Physicians reviewed and approved the ethical aspects of the survey.