Hoang, Thang Van http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1896-3273
Coletti, Pietro
Kifle, Yimer Wasihun
Kerckhove, Kim Van
Vercruysse, Sarah
Willem, Lander
Beutels, Philippe
Hens, Niel
Funding for this research was provided by:
H2020 European Research Council (682540)
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (1234620N)
Article History
Received: 1 October 2020
Accepted: 2 March 2021
First Online: 18 March 2021
Ethics approval and consent to participate
: No physical samples were collected as part of this study. A verbal consent was given prior to participation during the recruitment over the phone. People who agreed verbally to participate were then sent a written questionnaire and diary. They were able to refuse participation even after verbal agreement by not filling in the questionnaire and diary, and/or by not sending it back by postal services. Thus, the fact that they filled in the questionnaire and diary and chose to send it in functions as a written consent. We obtained similar verbal consent with implicit written confirmation from the next of kin, caretakers or guardians on behalf of dependent participants (e.g. children). All records of participants were anonymized before its use.Both datasets used for the current study are shared within the social contact data sharing initiative which is part of the ERC consolidator grant “TransMID” which received ethical approval from the Hasselt University Medical Ethical Committee (CME2016/618)
: Not applicable.
: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.