SHOW-Forward: A pathway for enhancing participant diversity, enriching data, and improving access to a unique environmental epidemiology cohort

PROJECT SUMMARY Well-characterized longitudinal epidemiological cohorts are crucial resources for identifying novel risk factors, examining exposure-outcome associations, and determining the role of biomarkers in disease development and progression. The Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) is a unique environmental epidemiological cohort

where rigorous survey methodology was used to ensure state-wide participation from Wisconsin, resulting in a representative sample. Based on our successful experience in participant recruitment, we propose to initiate SHOW-Forward to further enhance diversity of the cohort, enrich already collected data and expand its access

to the research community to facilitate novel environmental epidemiology and translational research aligned with the NIEHS mission. To accomplish these goals, we propose three specific aims. First, we will expand the SHOW cohort through continued and enhanced outreach and engagement of underserved and underrepresented

populations in Wisconsin. Novel approaches for participant-centric biospecimen collection will be implemented to reduce the burden for participants from rural areas with limited access to health care resources. Second, we will develop the SHOW Real World Data Collaborative infrastructure as a foundation for secure integrative

environmental health research. Third, we will establish the administrative infrastructure to develop, refine, and conduct participant recruitment, ethical and compliant acquisition, linkage, usage, analysis and sharing of PHI- containing multi-dimensional data and annotated biospecimens. Ultimately, this collaborative infrastructure will

facilitate broad access to SHOW data and biospecimens, enable early detection and treatment of emerging health issues, improve understanding of the role of environmental and lifestyle factors, harmful chemical exposures, and genetics on human health, and unlock new pathways for evidence-based prevention of

environmentally caused diseases.