What To Expect

As a participant in the ELLAS study, you will attend one orientation session and two study visits over a two year period. Below is a timeline of what you can expect as an ELLAS participant.

• 1. Eligibility Survey

  Before you can join the study, an ELLAS staff member will ask you several questions to make sure you are eligible for the study. These questions can be answered over the phone. If you are eligible, an ELLAS study staff member will help schedule you for an orientation session.

• 2. Orientation

  During orientation, ELLAS staff will share information about the study. You will learn about the potential risks and benefits of joining ELLAS. ELLAS staff will tell you how to prepare for your two study visits. You will also review and sign the study consent form and complete some surveys.
  
  Orientation gives you a chance to ask questions and make sure you understand everything you need to know about joining ELLAS. This visit will be in-person and will take just over one hour to complete.

• 3. First Study Visit

  Once you have completed orientation, an ELLAS staff member will schedule you for your first study visit. This in-person visit will take three to four hours. During this visit, you will:
  
  

  • Give a blood sample
  • Give a urine sample
  • Have a transvaginal ultrasound (during a transvaginal ultrasound, an ultrasound probe [about the size of a super absorbency tampon] is gently inserted into the vagina to create images of the pelvic structures)
  • Have a vaginal swab done
  • Have your height, weight, body fat percentage, waist circumference, and blood pressure measured
  • Complete an oral glucose tolerance test (for this test, you will be asked to not eat for several hours prior to the test, have your blood drawn, be asked to drink a sugary drink, and then have your blood drawn again to measure your blood sugar)
  • Answer survey questions about your background, work, medical history, sexual history, stress, physical activity, smoking, and other behaviors

  
  Once all of these study activities have been finished, you will receive a $100 gift card.

• 4. Staying in Touch

  After your first study visit, you will not have another visit for approximately 20 months. During this time, ELLAS staff members may invite you to fun community or educational events. You are not required to attend these events to stay in the study.
  

  
  An ELLAS staff member will also contact you once in a while to confirm your contact information. We ask that you contact us if your phone number or address changes between study visits.

• 5. Second Study Visit

  Congratulations on almost completing the ELLAS study! This second study visit will happen about 20 months after your first study visit. You will do all of the same things at this visit that you did in the first study visit. In addition, study staff might ask you some new survey questions. This in-person visit will be similar to the first study visit and will take three to four hours.
  
  Once the entire second visit is completed, you will receive a $125 gift card.

A Note on Confidentiality

Our study is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), who has issued us a Certificate of Confidentiality (CoC). Our CoC helps the research staff protect the privacy of our participants by giving us the right to refuse to give out any identifying participant information. If you join ELLAS, we will not share any of your identifying information.