National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Longitudinal Study

Welcome Back NHANES Participants

You have been chosen to take part in a follow-up study – the NHANES Longitudinal Study. This study will cover topics such as heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions, and will help us understand how our health changes over time.

About the NHANES Longitudinal Study

View video with audio description

What does participation involve?

This study will combine an interview and a health exam in your home. Together, this visit is expected to take about one hour.

Interview

We will ask questions about your:

• Health habits;
• Health problems; and
• Hospital visits.

Home Exam

The health exam will take place in your home and include the following:

• Weight and waist measurements;
• Blood pressure testing;
• Testing the feeling in your feet; and
• Collecting a blood sample from your finger to test for diabetes.
• After the exam, we will ask you to collect and mail in a urine sample to test for kidney disease.

Why was I selected again?

We are contacting people who were examined in the NHANES during 2007-2014. We are starting with a smaller group of 800 who live in 8 of the dozens of locations we went to during those years. If we are successful in locating and talking to this group of 800, we intend to contact all other adults examined during those years as well.

What are the benefits of taking part in the study?

• The chance to learn more about your current health status while helping us learn how the health of the nation changes over time.
• Free test results from your health exam.
• A token of thanks for your continued support and participation.

How do I arrange an appointment?

If you received a letter from us inviting you to take part in the study, you can arrange an appointment online by clicking on the “LOG IN” button on the top of this page. Your user ID and password are included in the letter. You can also arrange your appointment by phone at 1-855-261-3589 (9:00 am – 4:30 pm, ET).

Why do I have to log in and register?

If you received our letter and are interested in helping us with this study, we would like to arrange an appointment with you at a time that is most convenient for you. By logging in to the secure study site and registering with us using the button on the top of this page, you can let us know your preference. You can also register with us by phone at 1-855-261-3589 (9:00 am – 4:30 pm, ET).

How will my information be kept confidential?

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the NHANES program are committed to protecting your privacy. We will not release your private data without your consent. All information that relates to or describes identifiable characteristics of individuals, a practice, or an establishment will be used only for statistical purposes. NCHS staff, contractors, and agents will not disclose or release responses in identifiable form without the consent of the individual or establishment in accordance with section 308(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242m(d)) and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA, Title 5 of Public Law 107-347). In accordance with with CIPSEA, every NCHS employee, contractor, and agent has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to five years, a fine of up to 250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about you. In addition, NCHS complies with the Federal Cybersecurity Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. §§ 151 & 151 note). This law requires the federal government to protect federal computer networks by using computer security programs to identify cybersecurity risks like hacking, internet attacks, and other security weaknesses. If any cybersecurity risk is detected, the information system may be reviewed for specific threats by computer network experts working for, or on behalf of, the government. Only information directly related to government network security is monitored. The Act requires any personal information that identifies you or your family to be removed from suspicious files before they are shared.

Please refer to the NHANES Confidentiality Brochure [PDF – 93 KB] for more detailed information.

Who can I contact if I have questions?

Our health representative can discuss questions or concerns you might have or give you printed materials with further information. Also, please feel free to call Dr. Duong Tony Nguyen of the U.S. Public Health Service at 1-800-452-6115, Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM-4:30 PM ET to discuss the study or the results of your tests.

If you have questions about your rights as a participant in this study, please call the Research Ethics Review Board at the National Center for Health Statistics, toll free, at 1-800-223-8118. Please leave a brief message with your name and phone number. Say that you are calling about Protocol # 2017-01.