# Consent Management {#consent-management}


MQUAD enables researchers to capture documented participant consent directly within surveys. While not a separate administrative module, consent is managed using powerful survey design features to ensure ethical compliance and data integrity.


## Implementing Consent in Surveys {#implementing-consent-in-surveys}


To require consent before data collection, follow these design patterns in the Survey Designer:


### 1. The Consent Screen {#1-the-consent-screen}
Create a separate page or section at the beginning of your survey containing the consent information. Use the **Note** question type for the detailed text:
- **Study Purpose and Procedures**
- **Risks and Benefits**
- **Confidentiality and Data Protection**
- **Voluntary Participation and Withdrawal Rights**


### 2. Digital Signatures and Acknowledgement {#2-digital-signatures-and-acknowledgement}
Use specialized question types to capture the active agreement:
- **Acknowledge** — A single checkbox for basic agreement (e.g., "I have read and understood the information above").
- **Signature** — Captures a hand-drawn digital signature on mobile devices or tablets.
- **Text (Required)** — Can be used for "Type your full name to consent" validation.


### 3. Skip Logic and Termination {#3-skip-logic-and-termination}
Configure **Skip Logic** (Relevant conditions) to ensure that only participants who provide consent can proceed to the main survey.
- If the consent question is not checked, the survey should skip to a "Termination" note or end the submission process.
- This ensures no sensitive data is collected without documented agreement.


## Consent eSignatures {#consent-esignatures}


When using the **Signature** question type:
- On mobile devices (via ODK Collect), the user can draw their signature using a stylus or finger.
- In web forms, the user can draw using their mouse or touch screen.
- Signatures are stored as image assets (PNG) and linked to the specific response for auditability.


## Withdrawal and Data Handling {#withdrawal-and-data-handling}


MQUAD supports the "Right to be Forgotten" through these mechanisms:
- **Response Deletion** — Administrators with `RESPONSE_DELETE` permissions can permanently remove a participant's submission upon request.
- **Audit Trail** — Every deletion or modification is logged in the system audit trail, providing a record of the withdrawal process.
- **Anonymization** — For data exports, use the column selection feature to exclude personally identifiable information (PII) while retaining the core research data.


## Best Practices {#best-practices}


- **Version Your Forms** — When your consent text changes, publish a new survey version to track which respondents agreed to which terms.
- **Include Contact Info** — Always provide clear contact details for the Principal Investigator or Ethics Committee within the survey intro.
- **Test the Flow** — Ensure that the "Decline" path correctly prevents data collection before launching your study.