BGSU leading $2.5M study to identify underlying health disparities among underrepresented populations

Renowned BGSU sociology professor Dr. Wendy Manning is helping lead innovative health equity research funded by the National Institutes of Health. (BGSU photo/Haven Conn '22)

BGSU leading $2.5M study to identify underlying health disparities among underrepresented populations

Estimated Reading Time:

1. BGSU
2. News
3. 2024
4. BGSU leading $2.5M study to identify underlying health disparities among underrepresented populations

Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Couples' Health and Time Study is a first-of-its-kind health equity study

By Laren Kowalczyk '07

A renowned Bowling Green State University sociology professor is helping lead innovative health equity research of underrepresented populations in a first-of-its-kind study, supported by more than $2.5 million in funding over five years from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Wendy Manning, a distinguished sociology professor and founder of the BGSU Center for Family and Demographic Research, is collaborating with the University of Minnesota to identify factors that lead to underlying health disparities among sexual and gender minorities.

The National Couples' Health and Time Study (NCHAT) is the first fully powered, population-representative study of cohabiting and married sexual minorities in the United States with a comparison sample of married and cohabiting heterosexual individuals and their partners.

In partnership with the global research firm Gallup, Inc., Manning and Dr. Claire Kamp Dush, a sociology professor at the University of Minnesota and director of the Development Core at the Minnesota Population Center, studied a sample of 3,642 main respondents and 1,515 spouses or partners. Respondents who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or a different identity accounted for 44% of the sample.

The initial NCHAT study began in September 2020, seven months into the COVID-19 pandemic, and focused on relationship functioning, emotion regulation, discrimination, racial trauma, physical health, psychological well-being, health behaviors, stressors and time use.

Dr. Wendy Manning, a distinguished sociology professor, is helping lead innovative health equity research of underrepresented populations supported by more than $2.5 million in funding over five years from the National Institutes of Health. (BGSU photo)

Highly sought-after research

Several BGSU graduate students participated in the research and have published papers using its data, which Manning noted are crucial experiences for their futures in the field. Kristen Gustafson '22, who is pursuing a doctorate in sociology specializing in family and social psychology, was among them.

"The opportunity to work with first-of-its-kind data, especially as a graduate student, is an honor and privilege," Gustafson said. "I had access to the data long before it was publicly available and was part of discussions on how to conceptualize and code basic demographic variables. Those experiences will absolutely benefit me in the future as I work on and develop my own data projects."

The NCHAT data was released in 2022 and has been downloaded more than 9,400 times since then, including by more than 130 colleges and universities nationwide, underscoring its significance among researchers and broader public health implications.

• #1 University in Ohio for Student Experience

• Innovative Engineering Degrees

• #1 Public University in the midwest students would choose again for the fourth consecutive year

"We're creating a public good that other people can access and use to hopefully find causes for why people who hold identities more likely to experience discrimination might be experiencing that," Kamp Dush said. "The things we're looking at and considering in our study are increasingly impacting Americans. One in five Generation Z adults identify as LGBTQ+. It's a growing percentage of the population."

Manning said that while there has been anecdotal evidence suggesting the pandemic exacerbated health and family functioning inequities among sexual and gender minorities, the NCHAT research sought to provide empirical evidence while uncovering contributing factors.

"What's helpful about a large-scale survey like this is we have documented responses that can be used to inform programs, policies or interventions that might target and help eliminate some of these differences and relieve some of the stress these individuals are facing," Manning said.

Additional funding

To understand how support systems contribute to the overall experiences of the primary respondents, spouses and partners were surveyed, a distinct feature of NCHAT as most national studies only include one member of the household.

"Support is an important mechanism to consider," Manning said. "Sometimes, sexual and gender minorities don't have family support, so they turn to families of choice, which are often friends.

"Another important support mechanism is the communities people live in and whether they are safe and inclusive places for sexual and gender minorities. We have all these different layers to consider."

Manning and Kamp Dush recently received additional funding to reinterview the NCHAT sample to help answer critical questions about stability and changes that occurred in health and family functioning since the initial interviews.

"The initial data we collected is certainly integral to our research objectives, but by following up with this vulnerable population, we can look at some of the longer-term implications of the pandemic," Manning said. "It's imperative that we follow up with these individuals to help further identify why health disparities exist among this underrepresented population."

Related Stories

• BGSU leading $2.5M study to identify underlying health disparities among underrepresented populations Dr. Wendy Manning, founder of the BGSU Center for Family and Demographic Research, is collaborating with the University of Minnesota on the five-year National Institutes of Health-funded study.
• BGSU research finds divorce among older adults has nearly tripled since 1990 The renowned National Center for Family and Marriage Research reports that one in every 10 people divorcing in the United States today is 65 or older.
• BGSU researchers studying plant species to better inform wetland design Wetlands rely upon vegetation to capture and transform nutrients, a key resource in Ohio's bid to protect Lake Erie from algal blooms.
• A growing threat: BGSU researchers continue to detect dangerous levels of harmful algae in Africa's Lake Victoria Used by nearby residents as a primary source of water for drinking, bathing and domestic use, BGSU research finds high levels of toxin in Lake Victoria

Media Contact | Michael Bratton | [email protected] | 419-372-6349