About
|
The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC), sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a prospective epidemiologic study conducted in four U.S. communities. ARIC is designed to investigate the causes of disease and its outcomes. To date, the ARIC study has published over 2,000 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
|
|
|
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR:
I am continually impressed with the dedication of ARIC participants, staff and investigators and the amazing discoveries they enabled. Our staff continue to honor the participants as special volunteers whose participation for over 30 years is creating a legacy of scientific accomplishments and a resource to improve the health of generations to come. I am proud that our facility at 1100 Dual Highway continues looks even better than on its opening day. We are scheduled to expand to the whole building and have a new electronic billboard which will facilitate communication with the community. We will complete ARIC visit 7 by November 15, 2019 as well as randomization to the ACHIEVE study by October 11,2019 -- All are welcome. The NIH has recognized the outstanding achievements of the ARIC study and incredible contributions of the participants by funding annual visits for ARIC and its neurocognitive study starting in 2020. Each visit will feature new important research components. For example, visit 8 will include brain MRI and PET studies as well as accelerometry and Gait Matt (15,000 sensors detecting balance and speed) assessment of gait and falls risk.
Josef Coresh, MD, PhD
I am continually impressed with the dedication of ARIC participants, staff and investigators and the amazing discoveries they enabled. Our staff continue to honor the participants as special volunteers whose participation for over 30 years is creating a legacy of scientific accomplishments and a resource to improve the health of generations to come. I am proud that our facility at 1100 Dual Highway continues looks even better than on its opening day. We are scheduled to expand to the whole building and have a new electronic billboard which will facilitate communication with the community. We will complete ARIC visit 7 by November 15, 2019 as well as randomization to the ACHIEVE study by October 11,2019 -- All are welcome. The NIH has recognized the outstanding achievements of the ARIC study and incredible contributions of the participants by funding annual visits for ARIC and its neurocognitive study starting in 2020. Each visit will feature new important research components. For example, visit 8 will include brain MRI and PET studies as well as accelerometry and Gait Matt (15,000 sensors detecting balance and speed) assessment of gait and falls risk.
Josef Coresh, MD, PhD
MESSAGE FROM THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR:
Since its beginning in November 1986, the ARIC study has been all about connections. The connection between health behaviors and heart disease. The connection between aging and memory. The connection between residents and their communities. And the connection between participants and the ARIC study and staff.
As a Washington County native, 26+ year ARIC staff member, and the daughter of an ARIC participant, I believe I understand and value the importance of these connections. For most of the ARIC participants, the connection to our community and to each other is strong. For some ARIC participants, the desire to improve and connect the health of our community was the reason they originally enrolled in ARIC. For others, the thought of providing a legacy of health information for future generations was such an important concept that they are willing to continue to give of their time and effort for many years.
The ARIC study has an ongoing 30 year connection with each and every one of our participants. We don’t take this connection lightly. It requires a continued and concentrated effort to participate in a long-term study. But we also understand the vital role that every individual participant fills in this study. An ARIC participant, once enrolled, can never be replaced.
As we move forward into our seventh ARIC visit, I am excited to continue our connection with the ARIC participants. The ARIC Visit 7 is collecting information on many aspects of participant health that we have previously covered, as well as adding a few additional procedures. We will also continue to connect with participants twice a year by phone for their follow-up questions. We hope that the participants will enjoy the continuation of these calls and visits as much as our staff enjoys seeing and talking with them.
We can never thank the ARIC participants enough for their commitment to the ARIC study. Their legacy of participation will live on in the articles and journals written with their data, always connecting them with the overall ARIC goal – participating today for better health tomorrow.
Melissa Toms Minotti, MPH
Comstock Center Operations Director
Since its beginning in November 1986, the ARIC study has been all about connections. The connection between health behaviors and heart disease. The connection between aging and memory. The connection between residents and their communities. And the connection between participants and the ARIC study and staff.
As a Washington County native, 26+ year ARIC staff member, and the daughter of an ARIC participant, I believe I understand and value the importance of these connections. For most of the ARIC participants, the connection to our community and to each other is strong. For some ARIC participants, the desire to improve and connect the health of our community was the reason they originally enrolled in ARIC. For others, the thought of providing a legacy of health information for future generations was such an important concept that they are willing to continue to give of their time and effort for many years.
The ARIC study has an ongoing 30 year connection with each and every one of our participants. We don’t take this connection lightly. It requires a continued and concentrated effort to participate in a long-term study. But we also understand the vital role that every individual participant fills in this study. An ARIC participant, once enrolled, can never be replaced.
As we move forward into our seventh ARIC visit, I am excited to continue our connection with the ARIC participants. The ARIC Visit 7 is collecting information on many aspects of participant health that we have previously covered, as well as adding a few additional procedures. We will also continue to connect with participants twice a year by phone for their follow-up questions. We hope that the participants will enjoy the continuation of these calls and visits as much as our staff enjoys seeing and talking with them.
We can never thank the ARIC participants enough for their commitment to the ARIC study. Their legacy of participation will live on in the articles and journals written with their data, always connecting them with the overall ARIC goal – participating today for better health tomorrow.
Melissa Toms Minotti, MPH
Comstock Center Operations Director
