*SAGE and the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging have reviewed the research opportunities listed here to ensure the research has been approved by the sponsoring organization’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), aligns with the mission of SAGE, and promotes the core values of diversity, equity and inclusion. Inclusion of the research opportunities does not imply endorsement or by SAGE and the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. SAGE does not screen for or track your participation in these studies.*

Research Title: Centering Love

Organization: Icahn School of Medicine

Study Purpose: Share the caretaking strategies and stories of Black families that have at least one family member with a trans or genderqueer identity

Target Population: Adults (≥18 years old), from anywhere in the U.S. or territories who identify as Black and have a family member (born or chosen) who is trans or genderqueer. There are no exclusions with respect to primary language

Research incentives/Benefits: $100 gift card

Estimated Time Commitment: 15-minute interviews to determine if a narrator is a good fit for the project followed by interviews lasting as long as narrators deem necessary

Primary Contact: Cindy Clesca

To participate, email: Cindy.Clesca@mountsinai.org

Recruitment begins: 2/16/2023

Recruitment ends: 2/01/2024

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Research Title: Still Climbin': A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Intervention to Improve Coping with Discrimination, Address Medical Mistrust, and Reduce Health Disparities among Black Sexual Minority Men

Organization: RAND and APLA Health

Study Purpose: The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial to test a program designed to support Black/African American sexual minority men in coping with stress and discrimination in their lives, and in getting preventive health care.

Target Population: Black/African American sexual minority cisgender men, including Black sexual minority men aged 50 and older who are living with HIV, residing in the U.S.

Research incentives/Benefits: $50 for each of the 4 survey visits, $10 for each of the 3 check-in visits, and $20 for each group sessions (up to 8 sessions for in-person or 14 sessions for virtual)

Estimated Time Commitment: Participants are asked to complete four 1-2 hour surveys at APLA Health or by phone/virtually over 12 months (at baseline and 4, 8, and 12 months later). Participants who are randomized to receive the 8-week Still Climbin' intervention, offered either in person or virtually.

Primary Contact: Sean J. Lawrence

To participate, email: slawrence@aplahealth.org 

Recruitment begins: 4/07/2023

Recruitment ends: 12/29/2023

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Research Title: Mental Health experiences of older LGBTQ+ adults living with cancer and their care partners

Organization: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing

Study Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine relationships between contextual stressors and stress moderators, depression symptom experience, resilience, frailty, and QoL among older LGBTQ+ Indvidual's living with cancer and their care partners.

Target Population: LGBTQ+ adults 55 years and older living with a cancer diagnosis and their care partners age 21 years and older

Research incentives/Benefits: Participants can receive a maximum of $161 for completing ALL surveys

Estimated Time Commitment: Participants will be enrolled in the study for three months and complete a two-wave data collection (upon enrollment and three months later). Each wave will consist of 20min baseline surveys followed by 14, 5-7minute daily surveys

Primary Contact: Elisha Underwood

To participate, email: ecund@uab.edu

Recruitment begins: 4/17/2023

Recruitment ends: 12/31/2023

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Research Title: Building Community and Research Engagement among Sexual and Gender Minority Older Adults at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)

Organization: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Emory University, University of Tennessee Knoxville

Study Purpose: Aim 1: Form a network of SGM (sexual and gender minority) community members, service providers, clinicians, and researchers with expertise in working with SGM people living with ADRD and SGM caregivers. Aim 2: Establish a research registry of SGM people with ADRD and SGM ADRD caregivers by developing, implementing, and evaluating tailored recruitment and engagement programs. Input from community and national Advisory Boards will guide development, implementation, and evaluation the SGM-specific recruitment and engagement program and activities (health education seminars, community events, research engagement and registry enrollment events). Aim 3: Develop replicable, regionally tailored models for recruitment and retention of SGM people with ADRD and SGM ADRD caregivers in aging-related research.

Website to participate in the study: https://www.theriseregistry.org/

Target Population: 

• 18 years or older and residing in the United States
• Sufficient English fluency
• Self-identify as an SGM person who either:

Self-reports a diagnosis of ADRD, Mild Cognitive Impairment, subjective memory complaints, or at risk based on scientifically based risk factors (caregiver status, age, race, etc)

OR

Provides caregiving to an older adult with ADRD as defined by self-report YES on the Registry Questionnaire “Are you helping (unpaid) with the physical, social, or emotional needs of a person with memory loss? (e.g., helping with groceries, medical, power of attorney or finances, household tasks, in-person or remote)”

Research incentives/Benefits: All research opportunities through the RISE registry offer compensation as we want to ensure researchers are giving back to the community, but exact amounts vary.

Estimated Time Commitment: That is entirely up to the participant. The RISE registry connects participants to resources and research studies focused on the LGBTQIA+ population so time commitment varies.

Primary Contact: Brittany Klenczar

To participate, email: brittany.klenczar@unlv.edu

Recruitment begins: 02/27/2023

Research Title: The Stone Wall Generations Study

Organization: University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

Study Purpose: Identify factors that influence LGBTQIA+ older adults’ cognitive health to develop effective prevention strategies aimed at reducing risks factors and strengthening protective factors. Findings will have important implications for developing culturally relevant cognitive screenings, interventions, and targeting of preventive strategies for LGBTQIA+ older adults at risk of cognitive impairment and ADRD.

Website to participate in the study: https://rainbowsofaging.org/

Target Population: 

• Aged 50 years or older
• Have self-reported comprehension of English (rating of fairly well, well, or very well)37 in both written and verbal modes
• Self-identify as LGBTQIA+ or not LGBTQIA+
• For a range of cognitive function from healthy to mildly impaired, we will recruit participants with and without subjective memory complaints as well as with and without functional impairments

Research incentives/Benefits: $25 for phone interview

Estimated Time Commitment: The phone interview should only take approximately ~45 minutes

Primary Contact: Brittany Klenczar

To participate, email: brittany.klenczar@unlv.edu

Recruitment begins: 3/01/2023

Recruitment Ends: 2/28/2025

Research Title: Aging with Pride 2022

Organization: University of Washington Goldsen Institute

Study Purpose:  This longitudinal study assesses risk and protective factors related to health and quality of life (QOL) among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) midlife and older adults.

Target Population: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender women and men aged 45 or older at the time of recruitment

Languages: This study is open to participants who need study materials in Spanish

Research incentives/Benefits: Participants who complete a short screening survey are eligible for a drawing awarding $150 Gift Certificates to 12 randomly selected individuals. Once enrolled in the longitudinal study, participants will receive $20 cash for each longitudinal survey they complete. (Longitudinal data collection takes place every other year.)

Primary Contact: Karen Fredriksen Goldsen

To participate, email: fredrikk@uw.edu

Recruitment begins: 11/14/2022

Recruitment Ends: 11/30/2023

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Research Title: UCSD Caregiver Study

Study Purpose: We are currently working on a national research project, funded through the National Institute of Aging, that is seeking participants caring for family members with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Lewy Body dementia, or any other type of dementia.

Our study aims to help address the stressors that come with being a caregiver through the usage of internet-based caregiver programs designed to teach coping skills that may reduce caregiver stress or improve emotional well-being. We provide access to our web-programs for up to 15 months, monetary compensation for participation, 6 support calls and feedback about participants' progress throughout the study.

Target Population:  

• English-speaking
• Spouse or Child Caregiver of a loved-one with Alzheimer's Disease or Related Dementia (ADRD)
• Aged 40 years or older at the time of enrollment
• Providing at least 20 hours of in-home care per week
• Screening positive for mild depressive symptoms (CESD-R≥16).

Research Incentives and Benefits: Participants will receive $50 for each assessment.

Estimated Time Commitment: Participation will be approximately 15 months. Initial online assessment will be 2 hours and orientation will be 30 minutes. Participation in the study group will be 10 hours, as well as 3 follow-up interviews approximately 2 hours each. 

Website to participate in study: Get in contact is by completing the Participant Contact Form on the homepage of our website https://psychiatry.ucsd.edu/research/programs-centers/caregiver-study/index.html

Primary Contact: Carly Bonnell, MSW

Contact Email & Phone: cbonnell@health.ucsd.edu & (858) 534-9479

Recruitment Start Date: January 2019

Recruitment End Date: January 2024

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Organization: University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

Study Purpose: 1)Characterize the physical and psychosocial health, healthcare needs, and caregiving experiences of LGBTQIA+ adults with PD and caregivers of persons with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). 2) Explore healthcare provider attitudes toward LGBTQIA+ living with PD and their caregivers. 3) Explore the knowledge, perceptions, and care experiences of LGBTQIA+ caregivers of persons living with PD.

Website to participate in the study: https://rainbowsofaging.org/

Target Population: 

• Identify as LGBTQIA+
• Aged 18+
• Ability to complete the phone or online survey in English/Spanish.

OR, for caregivers:

• Self-identify LGBTQIA+;
• Provide care to an adult with PD at least eight hours a week on average
• Ability to complete an interview in English or Spanish.

Research incentives/Benefits: $25 gift card

Estimated Time Commitment: Phone interview: ~45 minutes; focus group discussion: ~60 minutes

Primary Contact: Brittany Klenczar

To participate, email: brittany.klenczar@unlv.edu 

Recruitment begins: 2/21/2023

Recruitment Ends: 5/06/2024

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Research Title:  Quality of Life in Men Who Have Sex With Men After a Prostatectomy 

Organization: Walden University 

Study Purpose: This study aims identify 3 areas that affect the quality of life in gay/bisexual men affected by prostate cancer, and the effects of a prostatectomy in terms of race, sexual dysfunction, and how relationships affect the quality of life in this population.  

Website to participate in the study: www.bit.ly/pcastudy  

Target Population: Cisgender gay/bisexual men who have sex with men and have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. 

Research incentives/Benefits: There are no monetary incentives for participation, but the findings from this study may assist those who are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the future to understand the risks and benefits of surgery and potential side effects. 

Estimated Time Commitment: This is a one-time survey, approximately 10 minutes in duration. 

Primary Contact: Jeaux Rinedahl 

Contact email:  jeaux.rinedahl@waldenu.edu 

Recruitment begins: 8/13/2023 

Recruitment Ends: 11/15/2023 

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Research Title: How older people with HIV access HIV treatment during their long nursing home stay

Organization: Northeastern University

Study Purpose: This project entails semi-structured interviews (recorded) with ~30 long-stay nursing home residents with HIV aged 50+ which will elucidate key contextual factors (e.g., roommate situations, staff interactions, history of drug use or homelessness) associated with ART adherence during the nursing home stay. Recruitment flyers target anyone that meets the heuristic definition of a long NH stay (>100 days or ~4 months). Inductive and deductive theory building through grounded theory analysis will be used to elucidate facilitators and barriers to ART adherence in the nursing home and explore if patient-identified factors agreeing with the factors identified through quantitative analysis of Medicare claims. Interviews will be analyzed for themes and subthemes with a particular focus on ART adherence before and during the nursing home stay as they related to two domains the person and the facility.

Target Population: People with HIV, at least 50 years old, who are currently nursing home long-stay residents or who have had a long stay in the last 2 years. Participants will be excluded if they are unable to speak English, they are unable to provide consent determined as anyone unable to repeat or paraphrase understanding of the study, or if the long NH stay pertinent to the study is >50% hospice related.

Research Incentives and Benefits: $40 visa gift card (physical plastic card)

Estimated Time Commitment: 1 phone call for screening (~10 minutes) and 1 interview (~1.5 hours)

Primary Contact: Brianne Olivieri-Mui

To participate, email: b.mui@northeastern.edu

Recruitment Start: 4/03/2023

Recruitment End: 3/31/2024

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Research Title: Chosen Family Among LGBTQ+ People

Organization: University of Notre Dame

Study Purpose: LGBTQ+ people have long formed families, not related by blood or legal ties, but rather through intentional choice and desired community—something I (and other scholars) call chosen family. The cultural anthropologist Kath Weston’s book Families We Choose: Lesbians, Gays, Kinship (1991) about sexual minority communities in San Francisco during the 1980s became the canonical text on these experiences. No one, however, has conducted an in-depth, book-length contemporary study on LGBTQ+ chosen family since. In an era of rapid social and cultural change around LGBTQ+ rights, updating our knowledge and understanding of chosen families is crucial.

Target Population: Participants must be at least 18 years of age, live in the United States, identify as LGBTQ+, and have a chosen family. People define chosen families in different ways, but for the purposes of eligibility to participate in this study, you must have people in your life that you consider to be family, whom you are not connected to by birth, adoption, marriage, or romantic partnership. Chosen families might also include some people with those connections but should consist mostly of individuals without those connections.

Research Incentives and Benefits: $40 for one interview

Estimated Time Commitment: One-two hours for an interview

Primary Contact: Eli Williams

To participate, email: ewilli28@nd.edu

Recruitment Start Date: 5/31/2023

Recruitment End Date: 1/31/2024

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Research Title: The SuperAgers Family Study

Organization: Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Study Purpose:  The SuperAgers Family Study aims to identify the inherited and natural factors that protect against human aging and related diseases. Our purpose is centered on uncovering ways to improve aging and protect against age-related diseases in humans. The data from this study will be used to create a large biorepository for future researchers about healthy aging.

Website to participate in the study: https://www.superagersstudy.org/

Target Population: Individuals aged 95 or older and their children.

Research incentives/Benefits: There is no compensation associated with participation in the SuperAgers Family Study.

Estimated Time Commitment: about 1 – 3 hours

Primary Contact: Aoife Mcgovern Leahy

To participate, email: superagers@einsteinmed.edu 

Recruitment begins: 12/01/2022

Recruitment Ends: 11/21/2023

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Research Title: Perspectives on healthcare access and equity of people with Parkinson's disease identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, or two-spirit

Organization: Creighton University

Study Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ older adults living with Parkinson's Disease (PD) regarding access to and delivery of healthcare and research participation. We aim to 1) gather perspectives of LGBTQ+ individuals with PD, their care partners, and their physicians through individual interviews and focus groups; and to 2) evaluate the inclusivity and LGBTQ+ cultural responsiveness of institutional policies and procedures for patient care and documentation systems of local healthcare centers and clinics. Our goal is to influence healthcare policies and practices, and access and delivery to LGBTQ+ elders with PD.

Target Population: 

-LGBTQ+ identified individuals either A)living with Parkinson's Disease or B) caring for someone with Parkinson's Disease

-Physicians providing care for individuals with Parkinson's Disease

Research incentives/Benefits: There is no monetary compensation for participation in this study. 

Primary Contact: Tara McIsaac

To participate, email: taramcisaac@creighton.edu

Recruitment begins: 10/25/2022

Recruitment Ends: 12/31/2023

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Research Title: Supporting Optimal Aging Through Research: "Project SOAR"

Organization: Center of Populations Sciences for Health Equity, Florida State University College of Nursing

Study Purpose: The goal of the survey is to understand abuse, maltreatment and neglect in LGBT+ populations ages 50 and older including comorbidities.

The survey consists of behavioral self-report measures relating to mental health, general health, and social life as well as a novel measure of abuse, maltreatment and neglect in LGBT+ populations 50 or older.

Link to participate in the study: https://redcap.link/pbb69clp

Target Population: Any LGBT+ people ages 50 or older who reside in the United States and can complete an online survey in English.

Research incentives/Benefits: $50 online gift cards of the participants' choosing from a catalog of options, will be sent two weeks prior to survey completion

Estimated Time Commitment: 30-45 minutes

Primary Contact: Casey Xavier Hall

Contact Email: cxavierhall@fsu.edu

Recruitment begins: 7/17/2023

Recruitment Ends: 11/18/2023

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 Research Title: RISE (Research Inclusion Supports Equity): Building Community and Research Engagement among Sexual and Gender Minority Older Adults at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias 

Organization: Emory University,University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Study Purpose: This study aims to increase engagement, recruitment, inclusion, & retention of LGBTQIA+ individuals in clinical aging research using a community based participatory approach, data collection from in person activities, online data collection and a national research registry.

Website to participate in the study: https://www.theriseregistry.org/

Target Population: LGBTQIA+ people 18 and older who:

• Have memory concerns or a memory loss diagnosis such as Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia
• Are helping care for someone with memory loss or a memory loss diagnosis

Research incentives/Benefits: 330 participants will be invited to complete pilot data questionnaires and will receive $25 dollars for doing so. 120 participants will be invited to do a focus group and will receive $25 dollars for doing so.

Estimated Time Commitment:

• Online consent: 5-10 minutes
• Research Registry: 5-10 minutes
• Focus Groups: 45-75 minutes
• Questionnaires: 30-60 minutes

Primary Contact: Whitney Wharton

Contact Email: whartonlab@emory.edu

Recruitment begins: 8/26/2022

Recruitment Ends: 9/30/2024

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Research Title: The Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI)

Organization: The Michael J Fox Foundation

Study Purpose: This study aims to better understand how Parkinson’s disease (PD) starts and changes over time. The study follows groups of people, including those both with and without Parkinson’s disease. The information from this study could transform how we diagnose, treat, and potentially prevent PD.

Website to participate in the study: https://ppmi.study.myachievement.com/ppmistudy/

Target Population: The study has two parts with different requirements: an online and clinical component.

     To join PPMI's online component, participants must be 18 years of age or older.

     To join PPMI's clinical component --

     Individuals who are at least 60 years must be:

        -First-degree family members (parent, child, sibling) of a person with Parkinson’s OR

        -People who have risk factors for the development of PD (known genetic mutation,  loss of smell, history of physically acting out dreams during sleep, and others)

     Individuals who are at least 30 years old must be:

        -People with Parkinson’s who have been diagnosed within the last two years and are not currently taking standard PD medications OR

        -People without Parkinson’s and no known risk.

Research incentives/Benefits: There is no direct monetary benefit to you or others, however, your participation will help us understand how PD develops and changes over time. You will be compensated for your time and travel if you are eligible for the parts of the study that require it. Any findings from PPMI may aid in the development of new treatments, and potentially, cures.

Estimated Time Commitment: The time commitment ranges depending on whether it is the online or clinical part of the study.

Primary Contact: Maddie Kutler

Contact Email: mkutler@michaeljfox.org

Recruitment begins: 8/17/2022

Recruitment Ends: 12/31/2033

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Research Title: Parkinson's Research with Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity

Organization: University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

Study Purpose: This study is focused on understanding the health and healthcare needs of the LGBTQIA+ population living with Parkinson's and their caregivers. The study consists of a 45min phone survey with people with Parkinson's and a 45min survey for their caregivers. All surveys/interviews will be conducted over the phone.

Website to participate in the study: N/A

Target Population: This is a national study available to the following individuals, 18 years or older living in the United States:

• LGBTQIA+ participants living with Parkinson's
• Caregivers of LGBTQIA+ participants living with Parkinson's

Research incentives/Benefits: All participants who complete the survey will receive a $25 Visa gift card.

If selected, twenty-five caregivers of people living with Parkinson’s disease who complete a one-on-one interview will receive an additional $25 Visa gift card.

Estimated Time Commitment: Minimum of ~45-60min for the phone survey; an additional 1 hour for caregivers selected for an interview

Primary Contact: Jason Flatt

To Participate, Email: jason.flatt@unlv.edu

Recruitment begins: 8/01/2022

Recruitment Ends: 1/01/2024

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Research Title: Efficacy of the WeCareAdvisor: An Online Tool to Help Caregivers Manage Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Persons with Dementia

Organization: Drexel University College of Nursing & Health Professions

Study Purpose: The study's purpose is to assess an easy-to-use web-based tool to help caregivers of people living with dementias. Caregivers will be assigned to immediate treatment or 3-month waitlist control groups. Our specific objectives are to test: 1) Short-term (1-month) and 2) Longer-term efficacy (3-months) of WeCareAdvisor on caregiver distress, confidence managing BPSD, or BPSD frequency and severity; 3) whether the waitlist control group demonstrates similar benefits after using the tool over a 3-month exposure; and 4) Tool utilization and outcomes using different reminders. Caregivers are enrolled for 6 months.

Study Website: wecareadvisorstudy.com

Primary Contact: Laura Gitlin

Contact Email: lng45@drexel.edu

Recruitment Begins: 10/1/2021

Recruitment Ends: 10/1/2023

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Research Title: The Intersectionality of Gender and Sexual Identities in Transgender Persons

Organization: Montclair State University

Study Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between gender identities in transgender persons. We are interested in how gender fluidity may inform sexual attraction fluidity. There is little research regarding the intersectionality of sexual orientation and gender identity in transgender persons. our aim with this research is to shed light on the fluid nature of sexual and gender identities in transgender persons, and how the transition process affects gender and identities.

Research Incentives and Benefits: You may not directly benefit from this research. However, we hope this research will result in greater awareness of issues that may come up for transgender persons. Your participation may better inform mental health professionals on how to help transgender persons and contribute to social change by informing community understanding of transgender issues. 

Primary contact: William Baker

To participate, Email: bakerw@montclair.edu

Recruitment end: 12/31/2023

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Research Title: Life in Nonbinary-Led Households

Organization: Northeastern University

Study Purpose: The study is looking to recruit adults over the age of 25 who identify with a nonbinary gender and live with a romantic partner who also identifies with a nonbinary gender. This study seeks to help fill a significant gap in knowledge about the nonbinary community and contribute to better understandings of social equity in LGBT+/Queer households.

Target Population: Adults over 25, ideally between the ages of 25-55, who identify with a nonbinary gender and live full-time with a romantic partner who also identifies with a nonbinary gender.

Estimated Time Commitment:  If you fit our inclusion criteria, we will reach out to you to set up an interview over Zoom. Interviews last around 1 hour. Please allow up to 9 months for a researcher to reach out and schedule an interview, the request will come from dotson.m@northeastern.edu.

Research Incentives and Benefits: Interviewees will receive a $25-$50 Etsy e-gift card as a thank-you for their time. 

To sign up for an interview, use the following link: https://forms.gle/KL6b8k5C1PzoEkVD7

Primary Contact: Miranda Dotson