Tag Archive for: preventive healthcare

Something Greater than Yourself

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Who’s going to analyze all of this data when data collection is complete? A better question might be who couldn’t analyze this data. The answer: anyone who has a good research question and agrees to abide by the guidelines of data usage can run an analysis. That could even be you. That’s correct; if you have a question and the ability to analyze the data, you could do it.

The goal is personalized medicine, and not just a pitch by a practice that’s talking about typical healthcare. The goal is to be able to identify the subgroups that will respond best to preventive health practices or to specific disease treatments. In that way, a profile of the best techniques based on genetics, environment, and lifestyle can be developed.

The only disappointment I have is that they didn’t include the microbiome. That would require a stool sample and add a greater degree of complexity to a data collection procedure that’s already very complicated. Maybe they’ll add that in the future.

If you go to the All of Us website, you’ll be able to find the local healthcare system in your area that’s responsible for data collection. In Grand Rapids, it’s Spectrum Health. I did the surveys online and scheduled an appointment for the physical data collection; that was it. In our area, we get a $25 gift card to a large grocery store chain, so I’m planning to get the whole family involved; Riley’s off the hook because you must be 18 and able to give consent. Whether you’re healthy or not doesn’t play a part in it; in fact, the info from people with current health conditions may be even more important.

The Bottom Line

The opportunity to become a part of something significant doesn’t happen all the time and almost never in preventive healthcare. This is time to do something greater than yourself, I can’t tell you whether it will benefit you personally, but it will benefit humanity. Maybe, just maybe, it will benefit a friend or relative. Check it out and check in to All of Us.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: https://allofus.nih.gov/

All of Us

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Would you like to be part of one of the largest studies ever attempted in the U.S.? I decided I would and I think you should as well.

The study is called All of Us, and it’s an attempt to gather health data from one million or more volunteers and then track them over many years. The purpose is to examine how genetics, environment, and lifestyle can impact health and disease. The goal is to provide a database that researchers can use to determine the factors that can impact the development of disease and eventually, the most effective treatment.

I think that’s the real goal. We have no idea what causes many diseases, whether it’s arthritis, cancer, auto-immune, or many others. The same holds true for treatments. Why does one treatment work well on one person and not at all on another? The genetics and environment as well as lifestyle may all have a role; with a database so extensive, just about every type of human subgroup will be represented.

What’s involved? I’ll tell you that on Thursday. If you want to read about all the details involved, check out the link in the References.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: https://allofus.nih.gov/