Sharing Health Education Resources (SHER)
A Remote Research Study for LGBTQ+ Teens
Researchers at Northwestern University are testing a 7-week texting program aimed at 13-18-year-olds (who were assigned male at birth or identify as male) who belong to the LGBTQ+ community.
Fast Facts
Assigned Male at Birth or Identify as Male, Ages 13-18
LGBTQ+ or Questioning Your Sexuality
Compensation Provided
Conducted Remotely
Study Background
Our goal at the Teen Health Lab is to improve the health of LGBTQ+ teens in Chicago and across the nation.
We’re working on finding ways to share health education resources with teens like you! In this research study, we’ll test a 7-week texting program designed to provide teens with useful content on topics like safe sex, STI testing, getting healthcare, and more.
This study is completely remote, so you can enroll from any of the 50 U.S. states and territories. If you enroll in the study, you will be asked to complete paid surveys that take about 30-40 minutes to complete and participate in a 7-week text messaging program with interactive features. We estimate it will take less than 5 minutes per day to read the texts and interact with the content, which includes access to a website.
If you are 13-18 years old, assigned male at birth OR identify as male, and belong to the LGBTQ+ community (or are questioning your sexuality), you may be a good fit for this research study. Parental permission is NOT required to participate. Join us today and help advance research for LGBTQ+ teens!
Study Background
Our goal at the Teen Health Lab is to improve the health of LGBTQ+ teens in Chicago and across the nation.
We’re working on finding ways to share health education resources with teens like you! In this research study, we’ll test a 7-week texting program designed to provide teens with useful content on topics like safe sex, STI testing, getting healthcare, and more.
This study is completely remote, so you can enroll from any of the 50 U.S. states and territories. If you enroll in the study, you will be asked to complete paid surveys that take about 30-40 minutes to complete and participate in a 7-week text messaging program with interactive features. We estimate it will take less than 5 minutes per day to read the texts and interact with the content, which includes access to a website.
If you are 13-18 years old, assigned male at birth OR identify as male, and belong to the LGBTQ+ community (or are questioning your sexuality), you may be a good fit for this research study. Parental permission is NOT required to participate. Join us today and help advance research for LGBTQ+ teens!
Additional Information
In this research study, we want to test the effectiveness and acceptability of a 7-week text messaging program called SHER (Sharing Health Education Resources) designed to provide health information to LGBTQ+ teens.
You may qualify for this study if you meet the following criteria.
Inclusion Criteria:
- 13-18 years old
- Assigned male at birth OR identify as male
- Identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community OR questioning your sexuality
- Live in the U.S. or U.S. territories
All eligible participants must complete a video chat with research staff to confirm eligibility before receiving a baseline survey, for which they are paid $30.
If you are confirmed to be eligible, after completing the baseline survey, you are assigned to one of two groups: treatment or control. Both groups will complete a 7-week text-messaging program. The treatment group will participate in SHER, the program we’re testing, and the control group will participate in a different program for comparison. You will receive 8-10 texts per day for 6 weeks, followed by a 6-week break and a final week of texts.
After the first 6 weeks, you will take another survey about your program’s content and receive an additional $30.
3 months after the program, you will complete a follow-up survey worth $40.
6 months after completing the program, there will be one final survey worth $50.
In summary, here is what you’ll do in the study:
- video chat
- baseline survey
- 6 weeks of receiving text messages
- second survey
- 1 week of receiving text messages
- 3-month follow-up survey
- 6-month follow-up survey
As a participant, you can receive up to $150 total for your time and effort.
There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.