Overview
Dataset Summary
The Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) is a large, ongoing prospective cohort study examining risk factors for major chronic diseases. The widely used NHS II cohort enrolled 116,430 female nurses aged 25–42 in 1989 and follows participants with biennial questionnaires. NHS 3 began enrolling male and female nurses in 2010.
Researchers also frequently use data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS), which enrolled male health professionals. Across cohorts, the studies collect detailed information on lifestyle factors, diet, physical activity, medication use, reproductive history, and chronic disease outcomes, with long-term follow-up and, in some cases, biospecimen data.
Caveats
- Investigators must request permission to collaborate and access data through the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
- For projects tied to grant applications, proposals must be submitted at least 10 weeks before the grant deadline.
- Annual data access fees apply (currently approximately $7,800/year for straightforward studies without biospecimens).
- Cohort consists primarily of health professionals, which may limit generalizability.
Examples of Outcomes Examined
- Association of healthy lifestyle factors with longevity
- Incidence of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes
- Dietary patterns and chronic disease risk
- Medication use and long-term health outcomes
- Reproductive factors and women’s health outcomes
Topic
Health Services, Health Workforce, Population Health
Resource Type
Dataset
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