Participate in a Research Study
Participate in an Elaine Marieb College of Nursing Research Study
Community participation in research studies helps us further understand some of the most important factors that impact health and wellness. It also gives participants an opportunity to learn about the cutting-edge projects being carried out by investigators in the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing.
Below you will find current research studies that are actively looking for participants from the community. To see if you qualify for any of these studies, please contact the email or phone provided This list is updated frequenty.
Study: Factors influencing disparities in quality of life among people of color affected by cancer
IRB Study #: 2961
Contact: Dr. Memnun Seven (mseven [at] umass [dot] edu (mseven[at]umass[dot]edu))
Contact Details: If you would like to participate, please leave a voicemail at 413 545 9922 with the best contact information (phone number or email address) to reach you at. You can also fill out the survey via the following link: Survey. We will return your call in 5-7 days to plan your participation.
Study Volunteer Eligibility Criteria:
- Have a personal history of cancer including breast, lung, gastrointestinal cancer such as colon, rectum, stomach, or pancreas,
- Have completed medical cancer treatment (e.g., chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery) within the last 5 years
- Describe yourself as African American/ Black, Hispanic/Latinx or multiracial
- Older than 18 years old,
- Live in Massachusetts,
- English or Spanish speaking individuals are welcome.
Description: We want to understand how lived experiences cause adverse difficulties in cancer outcomes among people of color. This study is looking at biological stress respones and soclal, behavioral factors affecting health disparities (adverse differences) in cancer survivorship care in people of color.
Time Commitment: Partipcation involves 1) completing surveys, interview, and providing saliva (spit) sample, and 2) One in-person or online meeting for data collection which may take up to 2.5 hours (may be divided into two different times to accommodate data collection requirements for salivary sample)
Compensation: You will be paid up to $60 for the compensation of your time to participate in the study. This is made up as follows: Survey completion - $20, Interview completion - $15, Saliva Sample collection - $25
Study: Sleep Self-Management for Older Couples or Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment or early Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (MCI/ADRD) and their Primary Caregiver
IRB Study #: 2019-5784
Contact: Dr. Cynthia Jacelon
Contact Details: 413 545-9576, jacelon [at] umass [dot] edu (jacelon[at]umass[dot]edu)
Study Volunteer Eligibility Criteria:
1. Pairs of individuals who are at least 70 years old. Both people must sleep in the same house
2. Pairs of individuals in which one member has mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia (MCI/ADRD), and the other member is the primary caregiver (May be less than 70 years old).
Description: The research study will take place in your home. A researcher will visit you each week, to review your sleep information from the previous week and ask you questions about your sleep and about using the wrist-worn activity monitor and/or the sleep diaries.
Time Commitment: 6 weekly visits of about an hour with the researcher, 15 minutes each day to complete your sleep diary and look at the activity monitor data
Compensation: You will receive $10 at the end of Week 1 and Week 2, each week.At the end of Week 5 you will be given the choice of receiving an additional $30 (for a total of $50) or of keeping the activity tracker. If you choose the money, you will return the activity tracker. If for any reason you cannot complete all five weeks of the study, you will be given $10 for each week you were able to complete
Study: Tablet-based Cognitive Behavioral Intervention: Comparison of Group vs. Individual CBT Education
IRB Study #: 2130
Contacts: Sarah Fiske, Dr. Jeung Choi
Contact Details: 413-222-5939, smleonard [at] umass [dot] edu (smleonard[at]umass[dot]edu); 413-545-5689, jeungokc [at] nursing [dot] umass [dot] edu (jeungokc[at]nursing[dot]umass[dot]edu)
Study Volunteer Eligibility Criteria: Older adults (50 years or older) with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis
Description: We are conducting a 'contactless' tablet-based fatigue management study to encourage a simple walking activity for older adults who have rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis-related fatigue. We would like to know how this tablet-based fatigue management tool helps your walking and fatigue management.
Time Commitment: We invite you to take part in seven meetings.
Meetings 1 and 2: complete three (3) short surveys telling us about your fatigue level, cognition and background information (age, sex, race, etc.) (30 minutes); learn how to use two devices, a tablet and step counter (30 minutes); and then you will be asked to use them at home for 8 weeks.
Meetings 3 through 6 – receive a weekly instruction of how to improve walking and alleviate fatigue through video communications (no travel involved); tell us about your fatigue level, quality of life, self-confidence, and your experience on use of two devices (1 hour for each meeting)
Meeting 7 – tell us about your fatigue level, quality of life, self-confidence, and your experience on use of two devices (1 hour)
Compensation: You will be given a $20 gift card at the end of Meetings 2, 3. 6, and 7, for a total of $80 in gift cards.
Study: Association between Illness Presentation and Self-Efficacy among Older EOL Caregivers with Multiple Chronic Illnesses
IRB Study #: 2229
Contact: Dr. Hyeyoung Park
Contact Details: (413) 545-1343 or hyeyoungpark [at] umass [dot] edu (hyeyoungpark[at]umass[dot]edu)
Study Volunteer Eligibility Criteria: Participants for this study will meet the following criteria: 1) be over 65 years old, 2) identify themselves as a caregiver of a patient with advanced illness (e.g. stage 4 cancer, Alzheimer's disease), 3) have more than two chronic illnesses, 4) are cognitively intact, and 5) can read and speak English
Description: The purpose of this study is to learn about the relationship between illness representation (how a person views their illness), self-management efficacy, and end of life (EOL) caregiving strain (burden) among older adult caregivers with multiple chronic health conditions. In order to determine this relationship, 133 participants who meet the study criteria and consent to participate will complete a one-time phone interview with researchers. The interview will include questions regarding participant's basic information of themselves and their care-recipient such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, and education level; then, participants will be asked about how they view their current illness, their caregiving strain, self-efficacy on their own illness, and the care recipient's symptom severity. All of this information will be carefully recorded in a secure online survey platform by the researchers. Participants may skip any questions they choose or withdraw from the study at any time.
Time Commitment: The study will be completed in a one-timephone interview, which will take approximately 20 minutes to complete
Compensation: A $10 gift card voucher will be provided for study participation. The voucher will be provided regardless if the participant withdraws from study during any point in time