Research

Participate in Research

Join the Access Research Registry

Interested in Participating in Mental Health Research?

The University of Calgary prioritizes the pursuit of a better understanding of mental health and addiction. By participating in research, you can gain new insights into your situation and possibly be a recipient of new treatment options. Not only this, but you may also help turn your experiences into future knowledge and understanding that could transform the care that others receive. We need people just like you to Join the Access Research Registry.

Join the Access Research Registry

The Access Research Registry provides a hands-off approach to obtaining more information about the research opportunities in the Department of Psychiatry that may be relevant to you, whether you have a current mental health concern or not. Enrolling in our participant registry may be an option if you're not ready to be part of a study right now, or simply can't find a study underway that you are eligible for.

If you choose to enroll, your information will be added to the Access Research Registry. Participation in the registry—as well as in any of our studies—is voluntary, and you may remove your information at any time with no impact to your level of care from Alberta Health Services. Once registered, you may be contacted by a research team looking for participants that fit your profile. You can decide at that time if you wish to take part.

Join the Access Research Registry

What Information Is Required to Join?

In order to enroll in the Access Research Registry, we will require information such as your contact information and mental health history. See below for all required details that we will ask you to provide:

  • Your first and last name
  • Your date of birth
  • Your email
  • Your phone number
  • Your gender identity
  • If you have a mental health diagnosis/diagnoses
  • Any additional current mental health symptoms that you’re experiencing
  • If you’re currently undergoing any treatments for your mental health (including medications)
  • If any of your family members have mental health diagnoses
  • If you have any physical medical conditions
  • If you have a history of head trauma or seizures
  • If you have any metal implants

We will also gather additional information about your demographics and mental health, which can be provided at your discretion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why am I being asked for proactive consent to be contacted by researchers?

A: Medical research plays an important role in discovering new treatments as well as helping determine if existing treatments are being used in the best way possible. Participants are an essential component of the research that allows for these advancements. However, according to privacy laws, researchers cannot contact you about possible research participation unless you provide your consent for them to do so. Proactive consent to be contacted allows for a simpler and more effective approach to research participation.

Q: Does consenting to be contacted for research mean I am agreeing to participate in a research study?

A: No, enrolling in the Access Research Registry is not an authorization for your actual participation in a research study. Signing up simply means that you agree to be contacted by researchers to discuss your potential eligibility for and interest in participating in a particular research study.

Q: What kind of research may I be asked to participate in?

A: In the Department of Psychiatry, we have both observational studies and clinical trials. If you take part in an observational study, you may (for example) be asked to complete a questionnaire or interview. If you participate in a clinical trial, you may receive medical care involving new/investigative treatments.

Q: What if I choose to not sign up for the registry? Will my medical care be impacted?

A: Involvement in the Access Research Registry is completely voluntary; it is your choice whether or not you would like to sign up. If you decide that it’s not for you—or change your mind about it later on—there will be no impact to your level of care from Alberta Health Services or the Department of Psychiatry.

Q: What if I choose to withdraw my consent to be contacted by researchers later on? Or what if I want to learn more about how my information is kept secure and private?

A: Contact the Access Research Registry Coordinator at (587) 779-5557 or mhresearch@ucalgary.ca. Alberta Health Services (AHS) is committed to protecting the privacy of Albertans. If you have general questions about privacy, you may contact the AHS Information and Privacy Office by calling 1-877-467-9874 or privacy@ahs.ca.