Volunteering and Recruitment
How are you going to recruit 30,000 Atlantic Canadians to take part in the study?
The Atlantic Path is encouraging Atlantic Canadians aged 35 to 69 to volunteer for the study. In addition, in Nova Scotia, people randomly selected from the Medical Services Insurance (MSI) database are being directly invited to participate.
Recruitment began in the Halifax region in early 2009 and hundreds of people volunteered to take after stories about the study appeared in the media. Other public information strategies, including posters in key locations, are being used to encourage volunteers to come forward. Similar public information strategies will be employed as the project begins recruiting in the rest of Nova Scotia and other parts of Atlantic Canada.
At the same time, Medavie Blue Cross is mailing invitation packages to randomly selected people in the Halifax area on our behalf. When we move into other provinces, we will consult with the provincial department of health in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador to determine the most effective additional recruitment methods.
Isn’t my MSI information confidential?
Yes, it is. The Atlantic Path has no information which names are randomly selected from the MSI database to receive invitation packages. We only know someone has received an invitation if they contact us.
I would like to volunteer. Do I have to wait for an invitation?
Not at all. If you live in Atlantic Canada and are between the ages of 35 and 69, you can volunteer by contacting us. Simply click here.
I'm not within age range. Can I participate?
No, unfortunately not. We are only recruiting volunteers between 35 and 69 years of age.
I have been diagnosed with cancer, diabetes or another chronic disease. Can I still take part in the study?
Yes, you can. As long as you are between the ages of 35 and 69 and live in Atlantic Canada, you can participate in the study.
I have friends living in other provinces who are within the age range. Can they participate in the Atlantic Path project?
We are only inviting residents of Atlantic Canada to participate in the Atlantic Path project. However, if your friends live in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, or Quebec, they may be able to participate in their home province.
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