Sexual and reproductive health care for teens and young adults with disabilities
Official title: Addressing Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Disparities and Barriers among Adolescents and Young Adults with Disabilities
Funded at Brandeis University · NIH-11298998 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will gather experiences from teens and young adults with disabilities, their parents, and national survey data to learn how to make sexual and reproductive health care easier to access and more useful for people ages 15–26.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brandeis University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Waltham, United States) |
| Project start | February 10, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $827,343 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD111038-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11298998 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adolescents and young adults aged 15–26 with any type of disability, and parents or caregivers willing to share their experiences.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the 15–26 age range, those without disabilities, or those seeking immediate clinical treatment rather than input about care experiences are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
What this research studies
As a young person with a disability, you may be asked about your experiences getting birth control, STI testing, and other reproductive health services. The researchers will combine national survey data with interviews of people ages 15–26 and interviews with parents or caregivers to map who gets care and who does not and what barriers they face. They will examine differences by gender and by type of disability and use the findings to design and pilot a tailored program to improve care. The team aims to create practical resources to help make appointments, communication, and services more accessible and respectful.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to tailored programs and resources that help teens and young adults with disabilities obtain and receive better sexual and reproductive health services.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has documented gaps and barriers in care but there are few tested interventions for this group, so this work is relatively novel and needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Brandeis University
Waltham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mitra, Monika — Brandeis University
- Study coordinator: Mitra, Monika
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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.