What is NRAMP?
Referral by clinicians: Healthcare professionals can refer potential participants to NRAMP. Clinicians are asked to briefly discuss the study with appropriate patients, and to ask their consent to pass on contact details to NRAMP research personnel, who will then contact the potential participant to discuss participation in the study.
By self-referral: Women who are interested in participating in the study can contact NRAMP research personnel directly.
Is participation in NRAMP voluntary?
Yes, participation in NRAMP is completely voluntary, which means that participants may also withdraw from the study at any time, should they wish to do so, without jeopardising their clinical care. Participants may also request that their personal information be removed from the register at any time.
To be able to take part in the study, potential participants will be required to sign two Consent Forms, a Participation Consent Form and a Medical Consent Form. These Consent Forms protect the potential participant’s privacy and the confidentiality of the potential participant’s personal information. The Consent Forms also allow the NRAMP research personnel to contact the potential participant’s treating team to obtain further information, if required. This is explained to potential participants when they are introduced to the study, in the recruitment phase.
Any information collected as part of the NRAMP study, and which can identify any individual participant, will remain confidential. Participants’ information is stored in locked filing cabinets, within a locked office, and is accessible to NRAMP research personnel only.
Information about a participant can be disclosed only with that person’s permission, except where required by law or if there are clear management issues requiring information to be shared with the treating team.
During the study and at its completion, NRAMP research personnel plan to publish the ongoing observations, making them available to healthcare professionals in the form of evidence-based guidelines for the care of women with mental illness during pregnancy. Observations may also be published in relevant and reputable scientific journals and presented at conferences and seminars. Such observations will not contain any details that could be used to identify individuals.
Taking part in NRAMP has a number of possible benefits.
Possible side-effects or discomforts that might occur include feelings of sadness which may result from telling the NRAMP research personnel about life experiences. NRAMP research personnel do not play any role in the management of the participant’s mental illness or pregnancy, however, if the NRAMP research personnel have any concerns for the health or wellbeing of the participant, or her baby, these will be directed to the participant’s clinical treating team.
Yes, NRAMP has ethics approval with the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, plus several other Ethics Committees across Australia. The study will be carried out according to the National Statement of Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007), produced by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. This statement has been developed to protect the interests of people who agree to participate in human research studies.
Several organisations have generously provided support for NRAMP, and include:
No, participants do not receive any monetary reimbursement for taking part in NRAMP.
NRAMP Chief Investigator:
Professor Jayashri Kulkarni
NRAMP Research Assistant:
Ms Alisa Turbic
For enquiries or referrals, please contact:
Email: maprc-nramp@monash.edu