We are now seeking funding for a third round of interviews with the women who have participated in one of the previous two rounds of CHLEW interviews. We are not doing interviews at this time, but we hope to begin this third round of interviews in 2008 or 2009 (depending on when we are able to obtain additional funding for the study).
What will I need to do to continue my participation in the study?
The most important thing that you can do is make sure that we have
complete and correct information (address, phone numbers, and email address) so
that we can contact you with updates about the study and opportunities to
participate again. If you are unsure about whether we have this information,
please call the research office at either 312-996-2504 or 866-933-3459 (toll
free) or e-mail chlewstudy@yahoo.com.
We welcome your calls and emails.
What if I moved or am moving away from the Chicago area?
Each of our study participants contributes greatly to the project. No
matter where you live—even if you move outside of Chicago, we want to stay in
contact with you! You will be able to participate in future interviews even if
you are out of the area.
What if I was interviewed in 2000 or 2001 but not a second time?
You are very important to our project, even if you were not able to
participate in the most recent interview. If you agreed to be contacted in the
future, but were unable to participate in the second interviews, you will still
be contacted for the third interview. However, if you asked not to be
re-contacted, we will NOT call to ask for your participation again. If you have
changed your mind about participating, please call the study office and let our
staff know that you’d like to participate in the next round of
interviews. If you are unsure about whether or not you agreed to be
re-contacted, call our study office and one of our staff will check your
status.
Why is my participation important?
The CHLEW is the first study to collect information about
lesbians’ health over time. In this type of study it is important to
involve each of our participants every time we do interviews. Previous studies
of lesbians’ health have involved mostly white women who have high levels
of education and higher incomes. It is important to us to include as many women
from diverse race, ethnic, income, and educational backgrounds as possible. The
information you share with us each time you are interviewed helps us create the
most accurate and complete picture of women’s lives. No one can replace
you in the study.
Why does diversity matter?
Many women tell us that their racial and ethnic identities are an
important part of who they are. Understanding the differences and similarities
among women of different races and ethnicities is an important part of
understanding women’s health and providing the best possible services to
all women. Therefore, the CHLEW study places a great deal of importance on
maintaining diversity within our group of participants. For many years
researchers have struggled to include women in health and social science
studies, which were typically focused on men. Now that more studies are being
done with women, our goal is to include a diverse range of women’s voices
and experiences in research.
The CHLEW study’s focus on lesbian women provides a critical
foundation for bringing traditionally stigmatized and underserved women into
the discussion on women’s health, and participants in the CHLEW come from
multiple racial, economic, educational, and age groups.
It is vital that we maintain contact with as many of the women who have
participated in the study as possible to maintain this diversity.
After the first interview, we lost contact with more women of color as well as
women with lower levels of education and income. No one can replace our
participants, so please continue to notify us of changes in your contact
information.
