Information for researchers

Data usage guidelines and application

COMPASS data usage guidelines

Data from the COMPASS study is stored at the University of Waterloo on a secure server.  The Principal Investigator of COMPASS (Dr. Scott Leatherdale) maintains ownership of all COMPASS data.  Access to specified COMPASS data may be granted to all COMPASS project collaborators and/or their research teams or students as well as external researchers/teams or students.  Special preference will be granted to graduate student and internal collaborator requests.

In order for any researcher/team/student to gain access to the COMPASS data, the successful completion and approval of the COMPASS Data Usage Application is required.  The application will be reviewed and approved/declined by the Principal Investigator of COMPASS.

COMPASS data usage application

Using the COMPASS data use application form, researchers are required to provide a brief proposal for the intended use of the COMPASS data. Proposals should be concise and include a research question(s), requested dependent and independent variables and analysis plan. The COMPASS Data Usage Agreement section should be read, signed and submitted as part of the Data Usage Application. Please forward this completed application form to Kai Jiang. Applications will be reviewed by the Principal Investigator. Upon full approval, data will be made available via encrypted memory stick or through a secure server. 

Publishing with COMPASS data

When publishing results from COMPASS (e.g., papers, presentations, technical reports) please use the following statement:

The COMPASS study has been supported by a bridge grant from the CIHR Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD) through the “Obesity – Interventions to Prevent or Treat” priority funding awards (OOP-110788; awarded to SL), an operating grant from the CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH) (MOP-114875; awarded to SL), a CIHR project grant (PJT-148562; awarded to SL), a CIHR bridge grant (PJT-149092; awarded to KP/SL), a CIHR project grant (PJT-159693; awarded to KP), and by a research funding arrangement with Health Canada (#1617-HQ-000012; contract awarded to SL), a CIHR-Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) team grant (OF7 B1-PCPEGT 410-10-9633; awarded to SL), a project grant from the CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH) (PJT-180262; awarded to SL and KP).

A SickKids Foundation New Investigator Grant, in partnership with CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH) (Grant No. NI21-1193; awarded to KAP) funds a mixed methods study examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health, leveraging COMPASS study data. The COMPASS-Quebec project additionally benefits from funding from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux of the province of Québec, and the Direction régionale de santé publique du CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale.

If you have any questions about the data request application process, please contact Kai Jiang

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