Welcome to the Other Physical Disability Studies Page

CURRENT STUDIES THAT MAY INTEREST YOU

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.

Assistive Devices

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

Technology Enhancing Care for Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury (TECVetS)

Are you a Veteran with a spinal cord injury (SCI) OR a caregiver/care provider for a Veteran with SCI? You may be eligible for a research study to share your thoughts and experiences regarding the use of technological interventions for psychosocial difficulty in Veterans with spinal cord injury.

AGE: 18 and older

DURATION: up to 60 minutes

VISITS: 1 interview

LOCATION: Videoconference

COMPENSATION: $50 digital Amazon gift card

TREETOP Retention Project

Do you take buprenorphine (e.g., Suboxone, Subutex, Zubsolv) and have chronic pain? You may be eligible for a research study to that seeks to improve the treatment of chronic pain in people who are taking buprenorphine. This study involves attending weekly (virtual or phone) pain management sessions for 12 week and completing surveys every 3 months for 1 year. Compensation provided.

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

Other Physical Disability

Other Substance Use

AGE: 18 and older

DURATION: 1 year

VISITS: 12 sessions and 5 surveys

LOCATION: Virtual or phone participation options

COMPENSATION: up to $250

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

Preconception Education for Women with Mobility Disability -- Study 3

Are you interested in becoming pregnant in the next 5 years? Do you have a mobility disabilities? We want to provide better education to help you be healthy and ready no matter what you decide. You may be able to participate in a research study to learn more about preconception health and mobility disabilities. Participants will be compensated for their time.

DURATION: 5 years

LOCATION: Online & By Phone

COMPENSATION: up to $480

All of Us Pennsylvania Research Program

We’re all different. But when we visit the doctor, our treatments are often the same. The All of Us Research Program thinks one day health care should be tailored for you. This is called precision medicine. And research can help us get there.

VISITS: one in person visit

LOCATION: Convenient locations throughout Pennsylvania

COMPENSATION: $25.00 gift card

Qualitative Exploration of Return to Sport After Shoulder Stabilization

Do you have a history of shoulder stabilization surgery and playing competitive sports? You may be eligible for a research study to gain a better understanding of the reasons why athletes are or are not able to successfully return to the same levels of competition and performance in their sport after they undergo shoulder stabilization surgery. Compensation is provided.

Exercise

Other Injuries/Injury Prevention

Other Physical Disability

Rehabilitation

And 1 more area

AGE: 18-25

DURATION: 60 - 90 minutes

VISITS: 1 session

LOCATION: Zoom videoconference

COMPENSATION: $15 in the form of an Amazon gift card

NO IN-PERSON VISITS

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.

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

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

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

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

A Sensorimotor Microelectrode Brain-Machine Interface

Do you have little or no ability to use your hands due to a cervical spinal cord injury, brainstem stroke, or spinal stroke? You may be eligible to take part in a research study involving brain-machine interface (BMI) technology or brain-computer interface (BCI). BCI/BMI technology uses signals recorded from the brain to control devices such as a computer or a robotic limb. Compensation provided.

Assistive Devices

Featured Research

Mobility Aids

Other Bones, Joints, and Muscles

And 2 more areas

AGE: 22 - 70

DURATION: 25 months

VISITS: Multiple

LOCATION: UPMC Presbyterian Hospital – Oakland

COMPENSATION: Up to $14,810 & travel costs

RELATED RESEARCH AREAS:

Physical Disability and Rehabilitation