Paying Project Participants: Dilemmas in Research with Poor, Marginalized Populations

This paper presents a case study about issues that can arise in research with marginalized populations. We use our experiences during a focus group conducted with low-income men to discuss how using monetary incentives can lead to ethical and methodological dilemmas, including participants’ misrepresentation of their demographic backgrounds to match study criteria. We address difficulties caused by the Institutional Review Board process’ inability to account for unanticipated circumstances during fieldwork. We note that any resolution of such dilemmas must prioritize responsible research practice and protecting participants. We also note the need for more research on the impact and ethics of monetary and other incentives in recruiting participants for studies such as ours that include populations from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. The issues raised in this paper have implications for those considering research design, especially concerning incentives and screening questions

Aging, Health, and GLBTQ Family and Community Life

Older GLBTQ persons face many age-related challenges and opportunities. Some are shared with their heterosexual counterparts, while others more specifically relate to their GLBTQ status. These occur in the contexts of their personal lives, families, social networks, and community and social milieu. One major challenge is health. This article describes a range of issues at the interface of aging, GLBTQ status, family, community, and well-being related to health, describing aspects of social support, health, and health care systems. Prostate cancer is explored as an example of this nexus of factors illustrating how GLBTQ persons may be affected differently from the married, heterosexual image typically assumed in cancer research and clinical attention