When asking a sensitive question, consider whether this needs to be addressed as a screener question and, if so, consider softening direct questions by utilising lists and always give people a way to opt out of answering.

Start your screener with a notice so applicants know what's coming. See how to write a disclaimer.

Always consider whether it is necessary to capture this information as a screener and whether it is appropriate to ask directly or whether it should be folded into a broader list.

The question becomes less confronting, and applicants can't tell which experience you're recruiting for.

The same softening applies to health history.

You should not collect medical records during an Askable Study. You should consider the category of personal information that may be collected using the screeners you draft. After making an assessment of the information that may be collected, you may consider whether it is more appropriate to ask questions relating to procedures.

Follow up if you need the reason:

Consider asking for a bracket rather than a number; most participants are comfortable sharing a range:

Add a description like "All information is kept private and confidential", and always include "Prefer not to say". Questions about debt or government support can also help you read socioeconomic status, using the same list-based softening as above.

Education level is a safe, standard proxy that avoids putting anyone on the spot:

You can also ask people to rate something like the importance of education on a 1 to 5 scale.

You should always remind Participants that they can opt out of any question or application they are not comfortable with.