Frequently Asked Questions
Add Health is a long-term research study that has been collecting information from a group of 20,000 adolescents nationwide since the mid-1990s. For our sixth wave of data collection (Wave VI) we are following participants into their 40s to learn how their health and well-being has changed during adulthood.
A team of researchers led by Dr. Robert A. Hummer from Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is conducting this study, along with ExamOne, part of Quest Diagnostics. Funding for Add Health Wave VI comes from the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Robert A. Hummer, Director of Add Health and Principal Investigator for Add Health Wave VI, may be reached via our toll-free study phone number at 1-844-509-2835 or by email at ah_info@cpc.unc.edu.
You can be in this study if you were in Add Health at any earlier time. The home exam takes around 45 minutes to complete. An ExamOne examiner, a trained and certified phlebotomist (person who collects blood) will come to your home at a time that you select, ask you questions about your current health and medication use, take some health measurements and, if you agree, collect a blood sample from your arm. Add Health will test your blood to learn about your current health status as well as indicators of inflammation, immunity, and infection.
You will receive blood pressure results and, if you provide a blood sample, results from a subset of blood tests. After you complete your home exam you will receive $100 by your choice of mailed check or electronic gift card. Other than the test results and $100 incentive, you will not benefit personally from taking part in this study.
If you agree to the blood draw, you may feel slight, temporary discomfort and/or bruising from the needle stick. Your ExamOne examiner is trained to reduce discomfort or physical reactions from the blood draw. There may be new or rare risks. You should report any problems to the study’s Director/Principal Investigator. There is a very unlikely risk of privacy breach. However, Add Health has strict security policies. You will not be named in any reports or publications. Nobody outside of the Add Health team can link your study data or blood sample to your identifiable information. In addition, the study has obtained a federal Certificate of Confidentiality which further protects your private information.
It will not cost you any money to take part in this study. Your time and participation are appreciated.
This research project is completely voluntary. You may stop participation at any time and skip any parts of the study that you do not want to take part in.
Our research team will study results from the home exam and blood tests to learn about the health and well-being of Add Health participants during mid-adulthood, and how it has changed since adolescence and early adulthood.
If you provide a blood sample during your home exam it will be kept at our secure study laboratory at the University of Vermont. The lab will run tests to assess your general health as well as tests that examine indicators of inflammation, infections, and immunity. Some tubes of your blood will be stored in our secure freezers for use as backup in case tests need to be run a second time. Lab tests will be conducted either at our study lab in Vermont or at an approved Add Health partner lab.
All leftover blood will be kept securely long-term in Add Health freezers. As part of the consent that you provided for the WVI home exam, you agreed for your leftover blood to be available to other Add Health projects outside of Wave VI. For these projects, your blood may be included in tests for an array of health indicators and genomic research that studies how your genes play a role in your overall health. These projects are required to have approval from a human subject’s protection committee and will be managed by Add Health. Your leftover blood and study information will continue to be protected by Add Health’ strict security policies while part of any future Add Health projects. Any leftover blood from future Add Health projects will remain protected while stored long-term in Add Health freezers.
In a few weeks, you will receive an incentive of $100 by electronic gift card or mailed check to thank you for your time. If you provided a blood sample and said you wanted to receive test results, you will also receive personalized results from some of the blood tests by mail in the next two months. It is important for you to know that these tests aren’t meant to diagnose disease and are for research purposes only. It is up to you whether to share these results with your doctor. If you agreed to a second/repeat home visit, you may be contacted by ExamOne again to schedule your second home exam. This exam will include the same activities, blood draw and blood tests as your first home exam.
If you need to reach ExamOne, please call their toll-free study phone number at 1-800-456-6447. An ExamOne staff member trained on Add Health will help you with any issues related to the home exam you just completed, or for questions related to an upcoming home exam.
We are here to listen. If you would like to tell us about your home exam or have questions or concerns about your ExamOne examiner, your blood draw or measurements, or anything else related to Add Health Wave VI, please call us at 844-509-2835 or email us at ah_info@cpc.unc.edu.
If you will be moving or changing your contact information (address, phone, email) please call the Add Health toll-free number (844-509-2835) and provide us with your new contact information as soon as possible. We want to make sure you receive your incentive and future communications from our study.
All research on human volunteers is reviewed by a committee that works to protect your rights and welfare. If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a research subject you may contact the Institutional Review Board at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill at 919-966-3113 or by email to IRB_subjects@unc.edu.
Download a printable version of the Wave VI Home Exam Fact Sheet: