Participate in a Study

Current opportunities

• Menopause and Caregiving: A Qualitative Exploration

  

  Overview

  Menopause can cause significant physical and mental health changes, affecting one’s daily life and activities. These feelings and changes can be amplified when the person going through menopause is also in a caregiver role. In addition, the health and well-being of caregivers is strongly related to their ability to provide care and, as such, the health of the person they are caring for.

  Yet, many women also feel unprepared for menopause and unsupported by healthcare providers during this transition in their health. This demonstrates a need for more effective support strategies to help women navigate menopause and caregiver responsibilities.

  Understanding the impact and experiences of menopause on caregivers can lead to the development of new tools and strategies to improve the quality of life of both caregivers and those they care for.

  Researchers from the University of Toronto are aiming to address needs by interviewing menopausal women in caregiver roles to understand where and how support is needed. Eligible individuals will participate in one 45-60-minute structured interview with a member of the study team via online video conferencing platforms.

  This study is available in English only and will close on June 1, 2025.

  Eligibility

  To be eligible to participate in this study, you must:

  • Identify as a female
  • Be a caregiver of a person or persons with a disability or chronic illness
  • Be at menopause (defined as 1-6 years post a final menstrual cycle).

  The study is open to participants nation-wide.

  Study Contact

  If you would like to participate in this study or have any questions, please contact Trevor Eygenraam and Erica Friesen at [email protected].

  This study was approved by the University of Toronto’s Research Ethics Board: Protocol #: 50589

• Food insecurity and Diet Quality in Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

  As food costs rise in Canada, many turn to cheaper and more readily available processed foods, which can be high in salt and sugar and increase the risk of chronic diseases. Researchers at the University of Alberta are studying the impact of food insecurity on the diets and kidney health of Canadian adults with CKD.

  Your participation will help inform interventions and policies to prevent food insecurity and its health implications in this population.

  To be eligible, you must:

  • Be between 18-80 years old
  • Be able to provide consent
  • Have a diagnosis of stage 1-5 chronic kidney disease
  • Be able to communicate in English
  • Not be on dialysis

  Participants will be asked to complete a 3-day food record, collect receipts for two weeks’ worth of food, answer questionnaires about their food habits and quality of life, and attend online interviews with the study investigators. The total time required is estimated to be 3 hours.

  This study is only available in English and will continue until December 2025. It has received approval through the Health Research Ethics Board – Health Panel, University of Alberta (Pro00132239).

  Should you have any questions, please contact:

  Dr. Diana Mager PhD RD
  780-492-7687
  [email protected]

• Become a Member of the Home First Dialysis Project Study Team

  If you or someone you know has experience with home dialysis OR have advanced chronic kidney disease (stage 4 or 5) and are not on dialysis, you are invited to be a patient partner in an ongoing study at the University of Manitoba.

  The Home First project aims to provide comprehensive support and education to CKD patients, with dedicated experts by their side to guide them through their healthcare journey. The goal of the program is to offer everyone the opportunity to experience home dialysis and help address barriers that may exist.

  As a patient partner you would be considered a member of the project research team. Your contributions may include reviewing educational material, sharing your experience with home dialysis, or helping guide the project.

  Patient partners must be able to speak English and be a resident of Manitoba.

  This study will be ongoing until 2027.

  Should you have any questions, please contact the research team:

  Rachel Girimonte
  1(204)-632-3667
  [email protected]

  This study received approval from the Health Research Ethics Board (HREB), study number H2023: 359.

• Studying the life stories of families of immunocompromised (IC) children during the COVID-19 pandemic

  At the University of Manitoba, researchers are studying the lived experience of families of immunocompromised (IC) children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their goal is to identify meaningful insights to help such families overcome challenges throughout the current pandemic and during future crises.
  
  If you have an IC child under 18, you are eligible to participate in this study. Participation will involve:

  1. An individual interview with each family member (who is interested)
  2. An individual or family group photograph activity followed by an interview about the photos
  3. Optional: Creation of a short video followed by a discussion of it in another interview

  You can organize each part of this study at your own convenience. You will also receive an honorarium for taking part in the research.
  
  This study is led by Dr. Roberta Woodgate and is ongoing until May 2025. Translators will be available for study participants.

  Should you have any questions, please contact:  
   

  Dr. Roberta Woodgate
  [email protected] 
  (204) 480-1051

• VIRTUAL PATIENT ADVOCACY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
  MEDSKL is a free, open-access medical education platform that is recruiting patient volunteers to share their story with medical students through a live webinar series called "Patient Perspectives". This is an opportunity for individuals in The Kidney Foundation community to teach future physicians about kidney disease from the perspective of their lived experience. The webinar will be 1 hour in length and hosted on Zoom on a weeknight evening of your choice. If you are interested in this opportunity, please sign-up using the online form or contact MEDSKL at www.medskl.com/contact.
• Exploring Patients Knowledge of Precision Medicine & Biobanking
  Are you at least 18 years old? Have you been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease? 
  
  Researchers at the University of Calgary are exploring patients’ knowledge, perceptions and experiences of precision medicine and biobanking. The findings of this research may help to enhance patient engagement and awareness of precision medicine and biobanking research
  
  Researchers are looking for patients with chronic kidney disease who are willing to be interviewed about these topics. The interviews will be conducted either by phone or by Skype/Zoom/Google Hangouts and will take approximately 30-45 minutes. 
  
  In appreciation of participant’s time, a $25 gift card will be provided. Please note that your views will be confidential and no personally identifiable information will be associated with responses.
  
  If you are willing to participate in this study, please contact:
  Mohammad Haque
  Masters Student at University of Calgary 
  Email: [email protected]
  Phone: 403-835-7225