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The Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS II) was established by Dr. Walter Willett and colleagues in 1989 with funding from the National Institutes of Health to study oral contraceptives, diet, and lifestyle risk factors in a population younger than the original NHS cohort.
Why a new cohort of nurses?
This younger generation of nurses included women who started using oral contraceptives during adolescence and were thus maximally exposed during their early reproductive life. Several case-control studies suggesting such exposures might be associated with substantial increases in breast cancer risk provided a particularly strong justification for investment in this large cohort. Researchers also planned to collect detailed information on the types of oral contraceptives used, which was not obtained in the Nurses’ Health Study.
In addition, NHS II obtained information on physical activity and diet in adolescence and early adult life.
Types General population-based cohort
Participant Types No diagnosis
Countries USA
Genders Female
Sample sizes 100,000 to 499,999
Ages 20 to 39|40 to 59
Brain related measures
Funtional rating Individual physiological|Individual psychological
Anthropometric Blood pressure|Height|Hip circumference|Waist circumference|Weight
Physical Cardiovascular|Hearing and Vision|Musculoskeletal|Reproductive|Respiratory
Biological samples Blood|Urine
Genotyping Gene screening
Brain imaging
Brain banking
Lifestyle Alcohol|Dietary habits|Physical activity|Smoking
Socio-economic Ethnic group|Housing and accommodation|Informal support|Martial status|Occupation and employment
Health service utilisation Formal health and social care service utilisation including private care
Institute names Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard School of Public Health
Current Sample Sizes 100,000 to 499,999
age at recruitment 25-42
last updated
recruitment period 1989
estimated current sample size number value
cohort acronym NHSII
start date 1989
pi Heather Eliassen and Walter Willett
website http://www.nurseshealthstudy.org/
contact details Nurses’ Health Study II
Channing Division of Network Medicine
181 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
abstract The Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS II) was established by Dr. Walter Willett and colleagues in 1989 with funding from the National Institutes of Health to study oral contraceptives, diet, and lifestyle risk factors in a population younger than the original NHS cohort.
funders National Institute of Health (NIH)|National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)|Breast Cancer Foundation
contact email [email protected]; PI email: [email protected]; [email protected]
contact phone number 617-525-2279
estimated current sample size
sample sizes 116,430