| Name of Biobank |
CDC National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Biospecimen Repository Bank |
| Year Initiated |
1998 |
| Primary objective (one sentence) |
To provide the ability to address additional (or emerging) public health issues for the nation through the nationally representative NHANES survey. |
| Key components (please briefly address the following): |
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| Time frame |
Ongoing since 1988 |
| Sample size (current and anticipated) and characteristics (age, gender) |
The number of NHANES survey participants with specimens in the NHANES Biobank is currently more than 50,000 and will grow by about 6-8 thousand for each two-year survey cycle. The age group is mostly 6 years and older and both genders and various race-ethnic groups (since the survey is nationally representative). |
| Recruitment area, method of recruitment/follow-up, sample representativeness |
The sample is representative of the U.S. non-institutionalized population (all fifty states and D.C.), and between 6,000 and 6,500 persons are selected to be participants in the survey each year. Therefore, each survey cycle is a representative national sample from both a cross-sectional aspect and a follow-up aspect. |
| Types of data/specimens collected (questionnaire, physical exam) |
Data are composed of an individual questionnaire asked in the home and numerous direct physical measures collected in a mobile examination center. Additional questionnaires are also asked in the exam center. The direct physical measures include over 300 biomarkers from blood, urine and other fluids. |
| Data collection, storage, processing systems |
The data collection is completely automated with direct integration of the biomedical equipment and the information technology system. Data are transmitted from field locations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) headquarters over high speed internet lines (encrypted), and stored in a replicated relational database. Biological specimens are stored in two biobanks. |
| Method of consent, reporting of results |
Multiple levels of informed written consent are agreed to by participants during the household interview portion of the survey data collection. There is extensive reporting of results to survey participants at the examination center and over 12-16 weeks following the exam component of the survey. |
| Health outcomes of interest |
Numerous health outcomes are measured in each NHANES survey cycle and they vary with each survey cycle. The focus is on nutrition, environmental exposures, chronic diseases, and infectious diseases. |
| Funding Sources |
Biobank funded by NCHS/CDC. The costs for proposed tests on specimens are covered by the proposer as well as a small administrative/handling fee for processing the specimens. |
