FAQs

Do I have to join this study?

Absolutely not. Participation is entirely voluntary and has no effect on your relationship with your physician or with Emory.

Who can participate?

Participation is open to individuals 18 and older in the United States and its territories. Because some of the surveys, questionnaires, and assessments we use require fluency in English, participants currently need to be able to read and understand English.

Why is Emory conducting this study?

Emory is an academic medical center. This means that the physicians that care for you are also researchers and educators. Research is a vital component of medicine. Many important medical discoveries have been made right here, thanks to their work and to study participants like you. The goal of this project is to study diseases that affect us more often as we age, and to explore treatments and prevention for diseases that do not yet have a cure.

Do I have to be an Emory patient to participate?

Absolutely not. Although we believe that participation will be especially valuable to Emory patients, participation is open to all individuals in the United States aged 18 and older who can read and understand English.

Do I have to live in Atlanta to participate?

Absolutely not. Although we believe that participation will be especially valuable to those who live in the Atlanta area, participation is open to all individuals in the United States aged 18 and older who can read and understand English.

What does it mean to participate in this study?

Participation means signing up online, indicating that you understand the terms of involvement, and completing a brief health history questionnaire. We will also ask you to share other sources of information with us – such as data from a fitness tracker, and any medical records that Emory may have for you. Every few months, we may also invite you to complete other surveys or assessments. We might also invite you to participate in other voluntary research opportunities.

How long does it take to participate?

Most people will be asked to give less than 60-90 minutes once every three to twelve months or a maximum of 6 hours per year.

What if I don’t want to answer or complete certain parts of the study?

You do not have to answer or complete certain parts of the study if you do not feel comfortable. You will have the option to decline participation for any individual surveys, sub-study, assessments, and other research opportunities to which we may invite you.

How long will my participation last?

We’d like to keep you involved for as long as you are comfortable staying involved. For many, participation may last many years or decades. In fact, the longer you stay involved the more we’ll be able to learn!

How do I know what you’re going to do with my information?

Before we ask you do to anything, we will explain it and make sure you fully understand it. That process, called “informed consent”, will always occur before your involvement. Click here to view.

Why should I trust you?

Emory University and the Emory Healthy Aging Study take the ethical implications of research very seriously. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Emory University is overseeing this study. The IRB is a collection of individuals whose job is to ensure the safety and rights of all research participants. The Emory IRB will maintain oversight of the study throughout its duration and will ensure anything we do is ethical, legal, and fully understood by each research participant.

Is my information secure?

We will keep your electronic information secure by encrypting it and by only using secure computer systems. However, there is always a risk of accidental disclosure. We will make every effort to keep your private information private, and we will immediately notify you if your information is ever compromised.

Will participation in this study tell me if I’m going to get a disease like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or diabetes?

No. However, if we become aware of a health problem we will let you know as soon as possible and refer you to an appropriate healthcare provider.

If you discover that I’m sick or at risk for a disease, will you provide free treatment?

No. Participation in this study does not include healthcare.

Can I see what information you collect about me?

Yes. You can see a summary of the information we collect about you online via our secure participant portal. We’ll also make it easy for you to share that information with your healthcare providers – if you wish to do so.

Will you share the information you collect about me with anyone else?

Aside from affiliated study staff and researchers, we will not share your information with anyone else.

What happens if I join but later decide I don’t want to participate?

You can withdraw from participation at any time by downloading and mailing us this form or by emailing HealthyAging.Decline@emory.edu.

Why should I join this study if I’m not worried about getting sick?

Your participation in this study will help further our scientific understanding of something that affects us all – aging. In fact, enrolling healthy participants is especially important because of the way this study is designed! You will help advance medical understanding and help us make the world a better place for future generations.

Where can I learn more about the scientists conducting this study?

The biographies of our investigators are available here.

Do you have questions? Reach out to our clinical research staff by phone or email. We are here to help you!

Clinical Research Coordinator
Grace Jackson

What is the Healthy Aging Study?

The Emory Healthy Aging Study is an online longitudinal research study working to better understand how we age and age-related diseases. Learn more

How the study works.

Participants register and complete an online health history questionnaire once a year. Learn more

Why the study matters.

This research aims to change our understanding of aging, the impact of healthy food, life expectancy in the US, and age-related diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease for generations to come. Learn more

A video about our study.