Question

A researcher at a Canadian institution eligible to receive Agency funding wishes to determine the frequency of cannabis consumption among high school students in Canada. The researcher will create a website that includes a secure link to a survey for students wishing to participate in the research. For scientific reasons, only students who have already used cannabis will be invited to participate and respond anonymously to the survey (please answer all questions by YES or NO).

The researcher proposes to ask participants to provide minimal information about themselves, such as sex, gender, age, and postal code (indirect identifiers). However, the participants will not be required to provide direct identifiers such as their name and the researcher will not collect their IP address. Considering the information that will be collected, can the data be considered anonymous?

Answer 1

The data collected in the Canadian study on cannabis use is not entirely anonymous due to the collection of indirect identifiers, which could potentially lead to re-identification of participants. Ethical considerations and participant confidentiality are critical in such research.

Step-by-step explanation:

The data collected by the researcher in the Canadian study on high school students' cannabis use may not be entirely anonymous because, while direct identifiers like names and IP addresses are not collected, indirect identifiers such as sex, gender, age, and postal code are. These indirect identifiers could potentially be used in combination to re-identify individuals, especially in smaller or more close-knit communities.

It is essential in research involving sensitive information like drug use to consider the ethical implications and to have measures in place to protect participant confidentiality. To preserve anonymity, it might be necessary to aggregate the data in such a way as to minimize the risk of re-identification. Researchers should consult with human subjects boards or committees to ensure all ethical standards are met and that the privacy of participants is safeguarded.

Participation in this kind of research should be voluntary, with participants informed about the research's purpose, use of data, and their rights regarding their own information.