Five hundred Syracuse University freshmen will divulge the details of their sex lives as part of a women’s health study called ‘The Women’s Health Project,’ being conducted by Michael Carey, SU professor of psychology and medicine.

Carey has found himself the target of nationwide criticism from conservatives since he received $219,000 in stimulus funds for the study, which looks at the sex patterns of college women.

Carey, director of the Center for Health and Behavior at SU, said the criticism isn’t warranted and the study is both expansive and worthwhile.

‘Women have been traditionally neglected in health research, even though they are disproportionably vulnerable to a number of health threats,’ such as sexually transmitted diseases and eating disorders, Carey said via e-mail.

When news of Carey’s study broke on Aug. 24, conservatives said the funds were a wasteful use of the stimulus.

‘I think the people of Central New York would rather be ‘hooked up’ with jobs instead of more questionable stimulus spending,’ Tory Mazzola, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee told The Post-Standard Aug. 24.

‘I think it’s questionable on its surface,’ Mazzola said. ‘Is it necessary? Because stimulus was sold as a new investment in infrastructure. It was sold as job-creating. It was sold as a new way forward for America.’

The National Institutes of Health awarded Carey the grant using stimulus funds. Carey said he had applied long before the NIH received any stimulus funds, and it wasn’t his intention to receive stimulus funds for the study.

‘The funds invested in this project do help to support jobs and will quickly find their way back into the local economy,’ Carey said. ‘Moreover, investing in health and health research is as important to the revitalization of our economy as are investments in our physical infrastructure.’

From 2009 to 2010, Carey and his research team will study 500 women’s health and relationships during their first year of college at SU. Participants will be paid and can make up to $160 for the entire study.

Sensible behavior is critical to maintaining health, Carey said. The study will not only focus on a single behavior, but on a variety that impact a woman’s mental and physical health: sleep, diet, sexual behavior, stress and tobacco and alcohol use.

While there have been small studies into the effects of these behaviors, Carey said his is the first broad-based study using a large sample of women – a study that he says will help improve approaches to intervention in women’s health.

‘The Women’s Health Project includes sexual behavior…because of the increasing recognition that social and health problems are linked to sexual behavior… and that there has been little scientific study of the topic despite its potential health implications,’ Carey said.

The participants in the study were invited to an information session where the first survey is administered. At the initial meeting, participants were briefed on the study and given the right to opt out. Afterwards, short monthly surveys will be sent out electronically for participants to complete.

At the end of the school year, participants will have the option of taking two free common STD tests. All responses will be kept confidential, and all data will be kept on a secure server without identification information attached to responses.

lefoti@syr.edu

Published on September 7, 2009 at 12:00 pm