Welcome to the Rehabilitation Studies Page

CURRENT STUDIES THAT MAY INTEREST YOU

MHealth for Veterans and Caregivers

Are you a service member or veterans with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) or the caregiver of a service member with a SCI? You may be eligible for a research study to refine and improve a smartphone app developed to support military service members or veterans with spinal cord injury and their caregivers manage their health/self-care tasks. Compensation is provided.

Assistive Devices

Healthy Volunteer

Mobility Aids

Other Physical Disability

And 2 more areas

AGE: 18 and older

DURATION: approximately 6 weeks

VISITS: 6 sessions

LOCATION: Zoom videoconference

COMPENSATION: $25 for each session that you complete in full.

Smart Speaker Training Intervention

Do you have a motor impairment or have blindness/low vision? You may be eligible for a research study to see if teaching people with disabilities how to use a smart speaker can help them to use the technology. Participants try an online training program about using an Amazon Alexa device and complete an interview on the usefulness and limitations of the material.

AGE: 18 and older

DURATION: approximately 2 weeks

VISITS: at your own pace at home

LOCATION: Online & At home

COMPENSATION: Participants will be able to keep the Alexa device

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

Virtual Peer Coaching in Manual Wheelchair Skills Research Study- Trainee

Do you have a non-progressive spinal cord injury? You may be eligible for a research study to determine the effectiveness of virtual coaching from a peer to improve manual wheelchair skills. This study will include virtual 1:1 training sessions targeted at improving your wheelchair skills. Compensation is provided.

Assistive Devices

Mobility Aids

Other Physical Disability

Physical Disability and Rehabilitation

And 1 more area

AGE: 18 and older

DURATION: approximately 1 year

VISITS: 6 peer coaching sessions and 5 questionnaires

LOCATION: Virtual (via Zoom)

COMPENSATION: up to $75 for completing peer coaching sessions and $125 for completing questionnaires

NEXUS 2: Evaluating mild TBI & the HPA-IL-6 axis - Orthopedic Injury

Are you 18 to 65? Have you had a recent orthopedic injury? You may be eligible for a research study to understand why some people experience many serious symptoms following a mild traumatic brain injury, while others have very few of these symptoms. Compensation is provided.

ACL Tear

Healthy Volunteer

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

Rehabilitation

And 1 more area

AGE: 18-65

DURATION: about 3 months

VISITS: 4 visits

LOCATION: Oakland

COMPENSATION: up to $275

Work & SSI Study

Do you receive SSI? Have you ever thought about working? You may be eligible for a research study to better understand SSI recipient experiences navigating the Social Security Administration’s rules and policies governing employment and income. Compensation is provided.

Assistive Devices

Healthy Volunteer

Mobility Aids

Other Physical Disability

And 3 more areas

AGE: 18-61

DURATION: 2-6 months

VISITS: 1 interview and 1 group meeting

LOCATION: Phone, Zoom or, where feasible, in person

COMPENSATION: up to $150

Smart Home Service Delivery

Are you having difficulty interacting with or controlling your environment, due to either physical, cognitive, and/or sensory impairments? You may be eligible for a research study to evaluate a smart home technology service delivery program for people with disabilities. Compensation is provided.

Assistive Devices

Chromosomal Disorders

Cystic Fibrosis

Genetic Disorders

And 8 more areas

AGE: 18 and older

DURATION: up to 1.5 years

VISITS: up to 12 sessions

LOCATION: Virtually via zoom, at the UPMC Center for Assistive Technology (CAT), the Life Skills Apartment at Mercy Pavillion or at your home.

COMPENSATION: up to $100

All of Us Pennsylvania Research Program

All of Us wants at least one million people to join. Your participation can help shape the future of health for generations to come. People who join will share information. This might be about their health, habits, and what it’s like where they live. It might also be about family history and genes. By looking for patterns, researchers may learn more about what affects people’s health.

VISITS: one in person visit

LOCATION: Convenient locations throughout Pennsylvania

COMPENSATION: $25.00 gift card

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

MyPaTH Story Booth 2.0

Interested in sharing your story about health, illness, or research? Patients and caregivers are needed to participate in a research study to help learn more about topics that are important to you and that may improve health and health care. Participation involves one 45-minute session that takes place over the phone. Eligible participants must be able to read and understand English.

DURATION: 45 minutes

VISITS: 1 visit or phone call

LOCATION: By phone

COMPENSATION: NONE

REGISTRY

Technology and Disability Research (TDR) Registry

Are you a person with disability or a caregiver/professional working with individuals with disabilities? You may be eligible to participate in a research registry to help advance disability research and meaningful tech solutions. Participants will receive updates on the latest research opportunities and have the option to take part in studies that align with their interests and eligibility.

AGE: 18 and older

DURATION: indefinitely

VISITS: one-time questionnaire/yearly contact update

LOCATION: virtually or in-person

COMPENSATION: NONE

Comparing Lived Experiences Study

Are you African American, Black, or White non-Hispanic and have had a stroke? Did you receive care at UPMC Rehabilitation Institute inpatient rehabilitation facility? You may be eligible for a research study examining the health care experiences and perspectives of African American, Black, and White non-Hispanic individuals who have had a stroke and received inpatient rehabilitation.

Assistive Devices

Mobility Aids

Other Physical Disability

Physical Disability and Rehabilitation

And 2 more areas

AGE: 18 and older

DURATION: about 1 month

VISITS: online questionnaires and online interview

LOCATION: Online

COMPENSATION: up to $100

Above the Knee Amputee Research Study

Are you 18-80 years old? Do you have an above the knee amputation and are walking in a conventional socket prosthesis? You may be able to participate in a study to find out how socket design changes affect comfort and mobility for amputees. Participation involves undergoing a CT scan, high-speed X-ray imaging, and ultrasound. Compensation is provided.

Mobility Aids

Other Bones, Joints, and Muscles

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

Rehabilitation

AGE: 18-80

DURATION: 1-2

VISITS: 4.5 hours

LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh Biodynamics Laboratory, UPMC Sports Medicine Center – South Side & UPMC Mercy - Uptown

COMPENSATION: Up to $300 & $10 for parking (if needed)

Spinal Cord Stimulation for the treatment of motor deficits in people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Are you affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy? You may be able to participate in a research study using spinal cord stimulation (SCS), an approved clinical therapy for pain syndromes that do not respond to drugs. Unexpectedly, SCS has shown the ability to promote the recovery of leg motor function in people with complete motor paralysis in consequence of spinal cord injury years after injury.

DURATION: 9 months

VISITS: 35 visits

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian

COMPENSATION: $1750

Improving Measurement and Treatment of Post-Stroke Neglect – Study 2

Have you had a stroke? Do you have trouble paying attention to both sides of your body because of the stroke and have weakness in your arm or hand? You may be able to participate in a study (3-4 visits with MRI scan) to examine how using non-invasive brain stimulation affects brain activity, arm movement, and the ability to pay attention to each side of your body. Compensation is provided.

Rehabilitation

Stroke

AGE: 18 and up

DURATION: 2 weeks

VISITS: 3-4 visits

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, Keystone Building – Oakland or Bridgeside Point 1 – 2nd Avenue

COMPENSATION: $20 per visit

RELATED RESEARCH AREAS:

Physical Disability and Rehabilitation