Research Announcement

The following research study has been deemed appropriate for home parenteral and/ or enteral nutrition consumers by the Oley Clinical Advisory Committee. However, the Oley Foundation strongly encourages anyone considering participating in medical research to discuss the issue with their managing physician before signing up.

Note that the research described below addresses topics related to mental health, including thoughts of suicide, which may be distressing for some individuals. If you choose to participate in the research and feel triggered or distressed while participating, you may stop taking the survey, and please consider reaching out to a mental health professional or crisis support hotline for assistance.

Approximately one in four American adults have a disability, and disabled American adults are significantly more likely to experience mental distress and suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to their abled counterparts. However, insufficient research has been conducted on the underlying factors contributing to this disparity in mental health.

The minority stress theory posits that stressors related to a person’s minority status, such as experienced stigma and discrimination, internalized stigma and identity concealment— all of which people with disabilities experience— contribute to adverse mental health outcomes. While minority stress has been linked to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in research on sexual and racial minorities, its relationship with suicidal thoughts and behaviors in disabled populations has not been studied yet. Therefore, this is the research question that my study will address: Is there a relationship between minority stress and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in people with disabilities?

Existing research has found that thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness are associated with minority stress and predictive of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, suggesting that these factors may mediate the relationship between the two. Additionally, studies have shown that people with disabilities who identify as disabled and have friends with disabilities are more likely to experience heightened self-esteem and life satisfaction, so these factors may buffer the relationship between minority stress and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

This study consists of a 30- to 45-minute survey. Each participant who completes the survey will receive a $10 Amazon gift card. If you live in the US, are over 18 years old, and identify as having a disability or chronic condition, visit bit.ly/smpdstudy to complete a short survey to see if you qualify.