Jia, Xiao http://orcid.org/0009-0006-7711-4067
Hou, Yanghong
Article History
Received: 24 October 2023
Accepted: 7 March 2024
First Online: 11 March 2024
Declarations
:
: The research was designed with a strong emphasis on ethical considerations. The questionnaire's statement, which includes the signature and contact details of the researchers and their affiliated institutions, provides a comprehensive overview of the study's objectives and its societal implications. Our research methodology, from participant selection to data collection and storage, has been thoroughly detailed. To ensure the anonymity and confidentiality of participant data, we’ve implemented rigorous data encoding and anonymization procedures. While we recognize the importance of participants’ autonomy and their right to withdraw at any time, we also believe that the ethical risk associated with this study is minimal. This belief is based on our transparent communication of potential benefits and risks, as well as the feedback we’ve received from independent third parties. Based on this comprehensive approach, we believe the ethical risk of this research is extremely low, and there is no need for an ethical review. All participants in this study were provided with a comprehensive information sheet detailing the purpose of the research, its social value, the scope of information collection, potential privacy risks, and measures taken to mitigate these risks. Before participating, each individual was required to read the information sheet and any questions or concerns they had were addressed by the research team. Following this, written informed consent was obtained from every participant, ensuring their voluntary participation in the study. Participants were made aware of their right to withdraw from the study at any point without any adverse consequences. The consent forms are securely stored and can be made available to the journal's editorial team upon request, while ensuring the anonymity of the participants.
: Not applicable.
: The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.