Risks and digital privacy

You need to know what risks you are taking by participating. We describe the risks we see and the measures we take to minimise them.

Emotional strain

Participation in the study could involve a risk of emotional strain and cause thoughts that will need to be processed. You choose which questions you want to answer. If you want to get in touch with the health service, we can help. You can contact us by e-mail and via the messaging function on our website, and one of us responsible for the study will get in touch with you. The research group has extensive experience in interviewing women in connection with pregnancy and labour.

Digital security and privacy

The research team has extensive expertise and experience in digital security and privacy in connection with research. Although we have taken careful measures to achieve a very high level of data security, it is impossible to completely rule out data breaches.

The project will collect and record information about you for research purposes. The legal basis for the collection is the EU General Data Protection Regulation, which states that research carried out by public universities is a task of general interest. To protect you as much as possible, we do the following:

Code number

When you register via our website your intent to participate in the study, you will automatically receive a code number, so that no data is stored together with your identity. When we analyse the data and report the results, you will remain anonymous. Data collected on Contraction Coach is linked only to the code number created for you. The code number at the top of the survey is used only for data analysis. Questionnaire results will be presented in such a way that individuals cannot be traced or identified.

Encryption

Encryption is performed immediately after data collection. This means that the information is rendered unreadable. Only the encryption key makes the data readable. All transport of data over networks is done with an additional encryption. The encryption key is stored on a storage device without a network connection, which is kept locked in a safe at Region Värmland.

Storage of data

Collected data is stored in encrypted form on computers within Region Värmland, Uppsala University and Karlstad University for 10 years. For our analyses, the encryption will be unlocked, but the data will remain encrypted. No unauthorised person will have access to the data. Identifiable personal data will never be shared with any third party. Your answers will be handled in such a way that they cannot be accessed by unauthorised persons.

The Research Principal in Värmland is responsible for your personal data. Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation, you have the right to access data about you that is processed in the study free of charge, and to have any errors corrected if necessary. You can also request that data about you be erased and that the processing of your personal data be restricted. If you wish to access your data, please contact Karin Ängeby, Researcher in charge at the Women's Health Service, Region Värmland.

Data Protection Officer and responsible for personal data issues for Region Värmland is Archivist and Information Security Coordinator Henrik Landtmansson. E-mail: henrik.landtmanson@regionvarmland.se, telephone 010-8314199.

If you are dissatisfied with the way your personal data is processed, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Swedish Data Protection Authority, which is the supervisory authority.