Columbus Healthy Aging Project

Data come from the cross-sectional pilot survey, the Columbus Healthy Aging Project (CHAP). CHAP was designed to assess several domains of health (e.g., HIV/STI, substance use) and potential risk factors (e.g., stress, stigma) among adults aged 50 years and older in Columbus, Ohio. Recruitment occurred throughout the Columbus metropolitan area exclusively via Facebook and Instagram. As this study has a particular focus on assessing disparities between sexual minorities and heterosexuals two ads were run: one for the general population and a second targeted towards sexual minorities. Inclusion criteria included: 1) age ≥50 years; 2) residence in Columbus, Ohio or surrounding suburbs; 3) access to a computer or smartphone to complete the online survey assessment; and 4) a working email address. We also aimed to recruit equal numbers of sexual minority and heterosexual participants while maintaining a racially and ethnically diverse sample that was reflective of Columbus’s own distribution. All participants provided written informed consent and were compensated $20 in the form of an Amazon gift card for their time. All study protocols and procedures were approved by The Ohio State University’s Institutional Review Board.