Understanding Health Differences in Diverse Couples Across the United States

A Longitudinal Examination of Mechanisms Underlying Intersectional Health Disparities in the United States

NIH-funded research University of Minnesota · NIH-11322505

This project continues to gather information from diverse couples to understand how health differences develop over time, especially for those from different racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender backgrounds.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Minnesota NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Minneapolis, United States)
Project IDNIH-11322505 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This ongoing project, called the National Couples’ Health and Time Use Study (NCHAT), is expanding its efforts to learn more about health differences in the United States. We are inviting couples who previously participated to share more about their health and daily lives over several years. This helps us understand how factors like structural racism, sexism, and other societal influences affect health for people from racially, ethnically, sexually, and gender diverse backgrounds. By collecting regular survey data and daily activity information, we can track how health changes and what might help or harm well-being during challenging times, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are coupled adults aged 20-60 who previously participated in the National Couples’ Health and Time Use Study and are from diverse racial, ethnic, sexual, or gender backgrounds.

Not a fit: Patients not in a coupled relationship or outside the specified age range would not directly benefit from participating in this specific data collection.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify key factors that contribute to health disparities, leading to better policies and support systems for diverse populations.

How similar studies have performed: The National Couples’ Health and Time Use Study is unique as the only population-representative study of its kind, making its approach novel and its findings foundational.

Where this research is happening

Minneapolis, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.