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This
section describes the aims of the site.
Description
Purpose
Privacy policy
Participation
Description
It has been estimated that roughly 1/3 of the North American population suffers from indigestion, heartburn and other symptoms of dyspepsia or gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). For some, these symptoms are so severe that they interfere with daily life. However, many people with dyspepsia do not consult either their family physician or a specialist about their symptoms and many feel that they lack information and support for their disorder.
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The website, mydyspepsia.com has been designed to be a resource for information and support for those with dyspepsia, GERD and related disorders (e.g. ulcers, gallstones, H. pylori infection, hiatal hernia, Barrett's esophagus), and is part of a research project aimed at assessing the information needs and well-being of those with these disorders.
The research component has two aims: (1) a quantitative assessment of patients' well-being and disease knowledge through the use of surveys, and (2) a qualitative assessment of the relationship between disease knowledge, patient concerns and health care choices, to be accomplished through "real-time" on-line interviews and a review of message board postings. The responses from you, the on-line participant, will be compared to those from patients seeing a specialist for their condition.
The resource
component of this site has been designed to provide those with symptoms
of dyspepsia and GERD with information regarding their symptoms, risk
factors and possible treatment options, as well as news relevant to dyspepsia,
GERD and related conditions. The discussion section is designed to provide
a forum for support and an opportunity to discuss issues important to
those who use the site.
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Privacy
Policy
If you choose to participate in the research component of the site, it
is important that you know that only the site adjudicator and the principal
investigator will have access to the information you submit. No sponsors
or other agencies will ever have access to your personal information and
you will not be identifiable in any published reports.
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Participation
Note that you do not have to participate in this research project in order
to access the posted messages and the information contained in mydyspepsia.com.
You may use this site as an information resource without registering,
but if you want to participate by posting messages or completing a survey,
you will be asked to register. If you register, you will be asked to provide
some basic demographic information about yourself (e.g. age, gender) and
provide a contact e-mail address. The surveys can be found in the assessment
menu, and you can access the message board by clicking on the "Post
or read messages" link at the top of any page. You will only be contacted;1)
if you complete one of our on-line forms that provides feedback, 2) if
you contact the site adjudicator, 3) to let you know of a new clinical
trial being conducted at McMaster University's Division of Gastroenterology.
If you choose to participate, but then decide to withdraw at any time,
for any reason, please e-mail the site adjudicator.
See also our membership benefits
page.
If you have any questions regarding this research, or suggestions for
the site, please e-mail the site adjudicator: