Doing good research and getting good results often takes time—but those results are worth the wait.
All of Us is an exciting and unique program. Instead of studying one health condition, we want to learn as much as we can about many different aspects of health. This requires collecting and studying as much health data as possible over 10 years or more.
All of Us follows in the footsteps of other important studies that have lasted for many years. One example is the Framingham Heart Study, which started in 1948 with 5,209 participants. Back then, we didn’t know much about heart health or its connection to blood pressure and cholesterol. Through the study, scientists learned that high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels can raise people’s risk for heart disease. This was a huge discovery that has impacted and continues to impact a lot of lives. Seventy-two years later, the study is still going with more than 14,000 participants, and we continue to learn about ways to improve heart health.
Like the Framingham study, over time, All of Us will collect a rich body of data from participants like you to help advance research. The information you choose to share, including your electronic health records (EHR) and surveys, will be part of the largest health data resource of its kind, ever. Researchers can use this data to conduct thousands of studies, which may lead to new treatments and new ways to prevent disease from occurring in the first place. Sharing your health information with All of Us over a stretch of many years is essential to making this happen. We want to make sure we get information from all types of people, especially those who have been underrepresented in research.
All of Us is also unique in that, unlike other research studies, we will return results to those participants who want to receive them. This year we will begin to analyze our participants’ DNA and give participants their information. This could include information about ancestry, traits, and even risks for some diseases. Later on, we may also have results about how people’s bodies might react to certain medicines.
Right now, All of Us participants can learn about their health by taking surveys. And this is just the beginning. New surveys and other activities are on the way.
Studying DNA and giving people their results can be very complicated. We want to make sure we’re doing it right. That takes a team effort, and we’re grateful for everything our participants have done so far to share their data and provide feedback to help shape the program. We believe it will be worth it—for our participants, their families and communities, and the future of health for everyone.
How can you stay involved?
Log in to your All of Us account and complete your surveys. Having trouble logging in? Our team is here to help. Call the Support Center at (844) 842-2855 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET.
Getting ready for DNA results
All of Us will start analyzing participant DNA soon. In the meantime, if you know that you’ll want to receive your DNA results, make sure you’ve taken these steps:
- Sign the consent to join the All of Us Research Program.
- Agree to share your electronic health records with All of Us.
- Complete the first survey (The Basics).
- Provide your blood, urine, and/or saliva samples when invited to do so.
We will also be introducing a new Consent to Receive DNA Results. In the consent, you can learn what’s involved and choose if you want your DNA results. We will let you know when the consent is available in your All of Us account.
