Database Research
Research using large deidentified datasets allows the analysis of vast amounts of patient information. These databases, stripped of personally identifiable information, enable the study of disease patterns, treatment outcomes, and patient behaviors, all while maintaining privacy and confidentiality. Florida Atlantic University has access to several databases.
All of Us
All of Us is an initiative of NIH, which stores health data from a diverse group of participants across the United States. Florida Atlantic University has a Data Use and Registration Agreement with All of Us, allowing students and employed faculty access to this resource. Both the Registered and Controlled Tiers are available for access.
- Create a "Researcher Workbench" account (https://www.researchallofus.org). Your account will need to be verified through Login.gov or ID.me.
- Complete the required training on conducting responsible and ethical research.
- Sign the "Data User Code of Conduct."
- The mandatory training is extensive and will take significant time. Prior training on responsible and ethical research may not be substituted for this training specific to All of Us.
- Data from this database cannot be downloaded. All analyses must be performed within the online platform
- Users must be knowledgeable in SAS, R, or Python to perform statistical analyses using this platform.
- Utilizing this platform is not entirely free. Computational power and data storage all cost money. Though each individual transaction is typically a nominal amount, fees may add up over time. Every new account holder is provided with a one-time credit of $300, and the transactional costs are deducted from this amount. If this credit is spent, additional funding must be contributed to continue using the platform. Funding may be available from your department or research grants.
TriNetX
TriNetX is a global health research network that provides access to deidentified patient data from various healthcare organizations to facilitate clinical research and improve outcomes. FAU Medicine is one such contributor to this database. Medical records from over 100 million patients are available.
- Complete a "Data repository Access Request" through OIT. On this form, select TriNetX in the repository field. You do not need a current IRB-approved study to complete this form, but you should have a research area of interest for access to this dataset. This will create a ticket with OIT.
- After approval you will be provided with access to the TriNetX course on Canvas. Login to Canvas and complete the training. You will be provided with a certificate upon completing all requirements.
- Upload your completion certificate to your previously created OIT ticket. Upon final review, you will be granted access to TrinetX.
- Each step of the process requires manual approval before moving on to the next task. The approval process may take several days.
CDC WONDER
The CDC WONDER (Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research) is a powerful database of public health data. It has comprehensive information on a variety of topics, such as births, deaths, cancer statistics, population statistics etc. It is available for free through the CDCs website.
CDC NHANES
Another database provided by CDC is the National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). It is designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States.
Osteoarthritis Initiative
This NIH funded initiative provides data from a multi-center 10-year observational study on knee osteoarthritis. The database is accessible for free, but requires an account with NIH Research Auth Service (RAS) or Login.gov