Frequently Asked Questions Why are you doing this study? I am interested in participating in the study. What do I need to do? I have no opinion/I don't like my neighborhood. I don’t want to wear a meter on my body. I don’t have time to participate. Why haven’t I received the survey yet? I sent in my consent form but why haven’t received the meter yet? When will my check come? I have moved or changed phone numbers. Who do I contact? I forgot to put the meter on when I woke up this morning. What should I do? The belt that came with the meter doesn’t fit. Can you send me another one? I had an emergency and haven’t been able to start wearing the meter. Can I begin wearing it tomorrow? Can the meter tell what I’m doing? Why are you doing this study? The National Institutes of Health is funding our study to learn more about how one’s neighborhood affects his or her quality of life and physical activity. I am interested in participating in the study. What do I need to do? Thanks so much for your interest! All you need to do is fill out the contact sheet…or call us at our toll free number (1-800-990-6757) and a member of our staff will contact you soon. I have no opinion/I don't like my neighborhood. Everyone’s views are important to us, even if they have no opinion/strong opinions on some issues. I don’t want to wear a meter on my body. The meter can be worn over or under one’s clothing, so no one would ever know that it is there. It’s also pretty inconspicuous, being only 2 inches by 2 inches. I don’t have time to participate. We know you are busy, so we try to make everything as easy for you as possible. The survey can be done in several sittings, at your convenience, and wearing the meter takes only a couple of minutes of your time. Why haven’t I received the survey yet? Once you receive the meter, the survey should arrive within the next 7 days. If it has been more than 7 days and you have not yet received the survey, please contact us immediately. I sent in my consent form but why haven’t received the meter yet? First, thank you for your participation! We are working with a limited number of movement meters, so as soon as they are returned to us, we send them back out to a new participant. Therefore, sometimes we have a delay of up to 3 weeks when sending a participant their meter. If you'd like to know the status on your meter, please email us at nqls@projects.sdsu.edu, and we'll let you know when you can expect it. When will my check come? Given that your survey was complete, and that you wore the meter for 7 days, we will process your payment immediately when we receive your meter. The checks take approximately 2 - 3 months to be sent out. Thank you for your patience. I have moved or changed phone numbers. Who do I contact? If your address, phone number, or any other relevant information has changed, please e-mail us at nqls@projects. sdsu.edu and let us know what your new information is. Our contact with you is strictly by phone and mail, so it is imperative that we have up-to-date contact information. And remember, we will never share any of this information with anyone else. I forgot to put the meter on when I woke up this morning. What should I do? If you forget to put the meter on, please put it on when you wake up the next day. At the end of the week, please make up that day that was missed. It is important that we have a full week of data, so try to wear the meter all day for seven consecutive days. The belt that came with the meter doesn’t fit. Can you send me another one? Yes. Email us at nqls@projects.sdsu.edu and a staff member will send you another belt right away. Do not continue wearing the meter until your new belt arrives. Once you have completed wearing the meter for 7 days, return it with both belts in the envelope we've provided. I had an emergency and haven’t been able to start wearing the meter. Can I begin wearing it tomorrow? The meter is a battery-operated device, so it depends on how long you've had it. Call the toll free number written on the back of your meter, and one of our staff members will determine if you need to return the meter or if you can begin wearing the one you have. If the meter needs to be returned, we will send you another one during a time when you will be able to wear it for seven consecutive days. Can the meter tell what I’m doing? Not at all! The meter is a simple, battery-operated device. It is not a tracking device and it cannot tell what specific activity you are doing. It only records overall movement, whether you are moving or not. If you’d like more information on the meter, go to http://actigraph.mtifwb.com.