Question

Summarize the study design, sampling, and purpose of the Framingham Study.

Answer 1

The Framingham study also known Framingham heart study is a long term ongoing cardiovascular cohort study on the residents of the town of Framingham, Massachusetts. It is project of National heart, lung and blood institute in collaboration with Boston University. This study was started in year 1948 and conducted on 5209 adults from Framingham at its third generation of partcipants.

Purpose of the study: Cardiovascular diseases are found to cause a vast mortality rates in United States. The time when this study was started a very little was known about the cardiovascular diseases. So the main purpose of conducting such a study is to:

" Study the epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases.The main objective is to identify the common factors or characteristics that contribute to the cardiovascular diseases by following its development over a long period of time in a large group of participants who have not yet developed overt symptoms of cardiovascular disease or suffered a heart attack or stroke."

Sampling: The Framingham heart study is a longitudinal observational study. The participants who attended the Third generation examination and Offspring examination and who participated in multi detector computed tomography sub study were eligible for this study.

In this study sample of both Third generation and Offspring cohorts, the individuals with prevalent cardiovascular disease, incomplete tonometry records, incomplete calcification measures and missing covariates were excluded. So the final sample size included 1905 Third generation and 1015 Offspring cohort study participants.

Research Design: The Framingham heart study participants, and their children and grand children voluntarily consented to undergo detailed medical history, physical examination and medical tests every two years, creating a wealth of data about physical and mental health especially about cardiovascular disease.A nonprofit charity called Friends of Framingham heart study, was founded to help defray study cost and spread awareness of heart issues. Membership was given to participants only.