AAFP NRN Partners With NIH on Diverse Database Resource

To give Academy members more information about the initiative and help them understand how it can support their own research, Sheri Schully, Ph.D., the program’s deputy chief medical and scientific officer, will host a one-hour webinar at 12:30 p.m. CT on April 12. All AAFP members are encouraged to register.

“This webinar is an opportunity for AAFP members of varying levels of research expertise to learn about a diverse database resource that they can draw from to help answer questions on a variety of topics that they see affecting the diverse populations they serve,” said Natabhona Mabachi, Ph.D., M.P.H., the AAFP NRN’s director of evaluation. “Part of the struggle many clinicians have with conducting research is finding the time to set up a rigorous study and collect good data. This resource is an opportunity to gain access to diverse data that has already been collected, thus taking away a significant barrier to research.”

About All of Us

Several features differentiate All of Us from other research programs. While many research studies focus on one condition or patient population, All of Us aims to enroll at least 1 million participants in the United States, including those from communities underrepresented in past health research, while ensuring the privacy of participants’ personal information. The program will also collect several types of data from various resources over time that multiple researchers could use.

The effort is intended to create one of the largest health databases of its kind and allow for the creation of thousands of studies on a variety of health conditions.

Organizers hope participants will engage with the program for 10 years or more. According to its website, “Working with participants over the long term means the program can gather more information that will help researchers find out how health and disease change over time.”

For researchers, access to All of Us data is available through two tiers: one for members of the general public and a second, restricted tier for researchers. Registered researchers will have access to the program’s data and tools to develop and conduct their own studies.

So far, more than 328,000 participants have completed initial steps to join the program, such as providing physical measurements and completing surveys.

Webinar Registration

The webinar will provide a brief overview of All of Us and explain how it can benefit researchers. Those who register for and attend the webinar will

• gain a better understanding of the research program, along with specific features such as the All of Us Research Hub and Workbench;
• view a demonstration of how researchers have used the program;
• understand how the program can support their own health research initiatives; and
• learn how to join the Research Hub and become a registered researcher.

Additional information on the research program is available on the All of Us website.