Technology FAQs

Learn more about your role as an active participant in this research study by reviewing the questions below.

On this page:

Setting Up Your Account and Logging On

How do I set up my account?

Your account was set up during your first online survey. Please search your email for the subject line: "Operation: SAFETY – Please Keep This for Your Records."  

  1. Open the above email. 
  2. After clicking on the hyperlink, you should see a webpage that displays your 5-digit "Username."
  3. Enter your username and password.

How do I log on to take the survey?

Please open the other email in your inbox titled, "Operation: SAFETY – Please Keep This Email for Your Records."

Please click on the Login URL. This email contains your username and the Login URL to complete the assessment. We recommend that you keep this email as it contains the Login URL you will need for all surveys.

What if I forgot my username?

You can find your 5-digit username in the email titled: "Operation: SAFETY – Please Keep This for Your Records."

If you no longer have this email, you can retrieve your username by following these steps:

  1. Click on "Participant Login" on the project website, sphhp.buffalo.edu/operation-safety.
  2. Then, click on “Forgot username/password” on the Login page. You can enter your email address under "Forgot Username" and click "Submit." Once you do this, you will receive an email that contains your 5-digit username. Once this step is complete, you will receive an email titled "Username request for Operation: SAFETY." This email will contain your username with a hyperlink to log back into the survey.
Your Email Address

If you do not receive the email immediately, it is likely that you are using a different email than what was provided to us originally. Please contact our office so we can update your email address by calling (716) 829-4731 or email OperationSafety@buffalo.edu.

How do I reset my password?

To reset your Operation: SAFETY password:

  1. Click on the “Forgot username/password” on the Operation: SAFETY portal Login page.
  2. Under "Forgot Password" enter your username and hit "Submit". Your username can be found in the email titled "Operation: SAFETY – Please Keep This for Your Records."
  3. Once you click "Submit", you will receive an email allowing you to click on a link to reset your password.
Your Email Address

If you do not receive the email immediately, it is likely that you are using a different email than what was provided to us originally. Please contact our office so we can update your email address by calling (716) 829-4731 or email OperationSafety@buffalo.edu.

Completing the Survey

Where do I start?

To begin the survey:

  1. Go to the website sphhp.buffalo.edu/operation-safety and log on by clicking on "Participant Login." 
  2. Next you will enter your unique username and password. 
  3. Note: If this is the first survey you are completing in Phase 2 (Survey 4, 5, or 6) once you’ve logged in, you will need to complete the "Consent Form" before you are able to begin the survey.

How do I complete the Consent Form?

You complete the "Consent Form" the first time you login to the website using your unique username and password. You will see "Consent" on the "Home" page. Click on the consent link and you will be taken to the Consent Form. Please read this form carefully.

If you have any questions about the information presented, please contact research staff at (716) 829-4731 or by email at OperationSafety@buffalo.edu. Once completed, you can print a copy for your records.

What browser should I use?

We recommend that you use Chrome to complete the survey, but Firefox, Edge, and Safari will also work. If you are using Safari, it will need to be the most up-to-date version.

Additionally, this survey is designed for use on larger-sized screens, such as desktops, iPads, and laptops. Please do NOT attempt to complete on a smart phone for the questionnaires have been formatted for larger screens. 

Do I need to complete the assessments in order?

Yes, it is important you complete the assessments in order. The survey is self-guided, which means there may be additional questions included or removed based on your answers. As a result, going in the order that the assessments are presented on the home screen is very important.

How do I know if I answered all the questions in a specific assessment?

Click "Save" at the bottom of the assessment. The section title should display a green bubble that says "100%" on the home page.

How do I make screen content look bigger or smaller?

You can change the size of the screen by changing the zoom level within your Internet browser.

  • In Safari, go to the File bar and the View menu. In the View menu, you can select to zoom in or zoom out.
  • If using an iPad, you can "pinch to zoom."

What else should I know that makes the survey easier to take?

All of your answers are confidential. Your individual responses are not shared with your partner or members of the military.

  • When you are finished answering a questionnaire, only hit “SAVE” once. Each step of the survey process may take time to load. Do not hit “Enter” on the keyboard or “Back” in your browser as this may exit you from the program. If you do exit the program, you can log back on by clicking on the hyperlink in the email titled: “Operation: SAFETY – Please Keep This for Your Records” which also contains your username. You can then reenter your username and password to log back on to the questionnaire.
  • Please complete the questionnaires in order because subsequent questionnaires may depend on your responses.
  • If the screen size changes, you can return to its optimal size [100%] by hitting “CTRL” + “0” (note: this is the zero key).
  • Please be sure to read all introductions as time frames change based upon the questionnaire.
  • For questions that are not a checkbox or in a table, you can click either on the circular button or the word next to the button.
  • All of your answers are confidential. Your individual responses are not shared with your partner or members of the military.
  • If you step away from the computer, please hit ‘SAVE’ to avoid losing any responses you may have entered as the survey will automatically time-out after 30 minutes.
  • Feel free to take breaks as needed.
  • We appreciate your honest responses.
  • If you are experiencing any technical difficulties, you can reach the Operation: SAFETY staff at (716) 829-4731 or OperationSafety@buffalo.edu.

Can I be timed-out of the survey?

As long as you are actively responding to questions, you will remain logged in. If there is no activity for 30 minutes, you will be automatically logged out to protect your confidential answers. Being "timed-out" without having hit "Save" can result in you losing your work. For this reason, please hit "Save" if you are not going to be actively responding to questions. If you do get logged out, please just log back in to complete the surveys.

Logging Off and Ending the Survey

How do I log out of the survey?

To log out of the survey, click “Logout” in the top right corner of the webpage.