National survey of older adults who never married
The National Study of the Older Never-Married Adults (NSONMA)
This project will gather a national survey of people aged 50 and older who have never married to learn about their health, social connections, and aging needs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195722 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are 50 or older and have never married, researchers will work with Gallup to collect a nationally representative survey about your health, family and friend networks, education, income, and reasons for remaining single. The pilot will use standard survey methods to reach a large, diverse group across the United States and include detailed questions about social ties and care needs. The team will map social networks and test competing ideas about whether never-married older adults face health disadvantages or show resilience, while accounting for age, sex, education, and finances. Results will show whether a full national study is feasible and help guide services and policies for older never-married adults.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are US residents aged 50 or older who have never been married and are willing to answer a survey about their health, relationships, and living situation.
Not a fit: People who are married, previously married (divorced or widowed), under 50, or living outside the United States would not be the focus of this work and are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help tailor health care, social support, and long-term care planning to better meet the needs of older adults who never married.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research on never-married older adults has been limited to small or unrepresentative samples, so this nationally representative pilot is relatively novel and fills a recognized gap.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, UNITED STATES
- Vanderbilt University — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Song, Lijun — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Song, Lijun
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.