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Welcome back to our Research 101 Series! In this article, we’re going to talk about why research is important and the impact it has on the world.

Why is Health Research Important?

Health research is necessary in order for doctors and scientists to better understand and improve health. 

Research plays an important role in learning how to prevent and treat illnesses and has the potential to help improve care for people around the world.

Treatments for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and most recently the development of the COVID-19 vaccines are just a few examples of how research has positively impacted communities. 

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Think about the last time you went to the doctor's office for treatment or received medication — the care you received all started with research!

The Impact of Evidation Studies

At Evidation (formerly Achievement) Studies, we like to engage in impactful, valuable research. 

We do this because we want everyone to be able to participate in better health outcomes. Our studies are powerful because we measure health in everyday life and offer individuals the opportunity to participate in ground-breaking research. 

Decentralized research

The majority of our research is decentralized, which means people can participate in studies from wherever they are. This is different from traditional research which frequently requires participants to travel to a doctor’s office, hospital, or other clinical setting. The time and cost of such travel makes it too difficult for many people to participate.

Why does this matter? 

It means more people have access to research opportunities. Individuals who typically wouldn’t be able to participate in clinical research at big hospitals and universities now have the opportunity to join an online study from the comfort of their home, through decentralized research. 

Our enrollment process is easy

Enrollment is one of the most slow and difficult parts of clinical research. In fact, many trials or programs can’t enroll enough participants to meet the goals of the study. 

We’re different because we’re able to enroll people remotely. Making the process easier and more accessible to a wider variety of people.

Person-Generated Health Data (PGHD) 

We use person-generated health data in our studies. This means that we use data (information) generated by you on a day-to-day basis to conduct research. This can include data from surveys, lab tests, wearables, sensors, apps, and much more! 

By using PGHD in our studies, we’re able to look at much more everyday data such as heart rate and activity levels, or health history and lifestyle choices reported directly by you.  

Data Privacy

We take your privacy very seriously. Above all, our participants come first, so we do everything we can to make sure we earn trust through honest and ethical practices. We do not sell your data and will never share your data without your permission. We’re committed to making sure you understand how your data is being used. 

When we do share research results, all personal information is removed or de-identified and aggregated. That means it’s combined with other participants’ results, and your name and other identifying information is removed and never linked to study results. You can find our full Privacy Notice here.

How can I get involved?

Given how important research is, we encourage everyone to get involved in a way that’s best for them. For example, you can get involved in health research by participating directly in a study, donating money to research programs, spreading the word about different studies you hear about, or sharing this article with someone you know.

Want to know more about any of our Evidation Studies and how to get involved? Reach out to us at study@evidation.com and one of our friendly team members can help you get started. 

If you want additional general information on health research, we recommend checking out the following public resources: 

• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Human Research Protections
• FDA, Clinical Trials and Human Subject Protection
• National Institutes of Health (NIH), Educational Resources
• Clinical Research Resource HUB, Resources for Participants

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll on just about every aspect of our lives. We’ve all been affected financially, emotionally, and physically. And the risk to our long-term health and wellbeing is significant. 

So much attention has been given to the physical, emotional, and financial impact of both the illness and the restrictions that have been put into place for public safety. And we know that our activity patterns and lifestyles have changed drastically. 

To really get a sense of how these changes have impacted our members and your activity levels, we took a look at average daily step counts before and during the pandemic. 

We looked at Fitbit step counts for 74,000 Evidation Members from October 1, 2018 to January 31, 2022. 

What we found wasn’t really surprising, but it did leave us with a few questions. 

Has Covid-19 Affected Step Counts?

We looked at the average daily step counts of our members during the last week in January for the two years of the current coronavirus pandemic (2021 & 2022) and the same week in the previous two years. 

As you can see in the chart below, step counts were much lower (around 800 steps per day) during the pandemic than before.

But, step counts always tend to go down over the holidays. That’s why we pulled steps from the last week in January, when they traditionally go back to pre holiday levels.

So, to be sure the decrease wasn’t caused solely by the holidays, we compared the step counts from January (shown above) to those in early October, before the holiday dip. 

Since we also see an increase in COVID cases (and fear of COVID-related risks) during the holidays, we wanted to know what effect that might have on established patterns. 

Is the drop in steps because of COVID? Or just because of the holidays?

Some of the decrease in steps is due to the holidays. But if we compare the levels to prior years, we can see that the past two Januarys (2021 and 2022), which were heavily impacted by the coronavirus, had a much bigger decrease in steps compared to a baseline taken in October of the previous year.

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As you can see from the chart below, we see dips in step counts during the holidays in all four years (before and during COVID). 

But, the step counts are lower in general from 2020 to 2022 than in preCOVID years. And, when they dip for the holidays, they take longer to get back to preholidays levels during 2020-2022 compared to preCOVID years. 

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We can also see that the drop in steps starting late December 2022 matches with the Google Trends interest score for the search term "COVID" which peaked in January 2022.

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That means that worry about COVID and COVID-related interest peaked at the same time the step counts were at their lowest point. 

Are vaccinated people taking more steps?

Since it seems that concern over COVID is related to the decrease in steps, we wanted to understand if people who are vaccinated or live in areas where more of the population is vaccinated are moving more. 

What we found is that while step counts are lower overall than in preCOVID years, regardless of vaccination rates, states with higher vaccination rates tend to have higher step counts on average. 

What does that mean?

It means that people in states with higher vaccination rates are walking more than those in states with lower vaccination rates, but still not as much as they were before the pandemic. 

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Why are step counts lower during Covid?

We can’t know for certain why people are moving less during COVID, but there is no shortage of information out there on the subject. 

More people are staying home, avoiding public places like the gym or large events. Many are still not leaving their homes except for when absolutely necessary. Some are dealing with mental health or financial challenges that may impact their ability to find the motivation to match their previous levels of activity. 

What is certain is that while step counts always fluctuate based on a variety of factors, the current pandemic is definitely having an impact as well, whatever the reason. 

American Heart Month brings awareness to heart disease and serves as a reminder of the importance of a healthy heart.

We all feel the hard work it does when we engage in physical exercise. And, behind the scenes, it's doing all sorts of work to help our body function.

Our heart pumps blood throughout our body and helps to control our heart rate and maintain our blood pressure. 

It’s a vital part of our body’s functions. In saying that, heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in Americans. 

Did you know 1 in 4 deaths every year in the United States is linked to heart disease? 

The most common amongst them is coronary heart disease. In 2018 it was the cause of 42.1% of deaths related to heart disease in the US. 

While you may be aware of the importance of your heart and how it contributes to your body, you may not be aware of the different forms of heart disease, who is most at risk, and how we can build a healthier heart. 

We’ll be answering all these questions! Keep reading to learn more.

Types of Heart Disease

Heart disease is any condition that affects the function or structure of our heart. There are several different forms of heart disease that can develop for various reasons.

Some of them include:

Heart failure - this happens when the heart muscle can't pump blood as efficiently

Structural heart disease - abnormalities in the structure of the heart that can be present at birth or develop later in life

Coronary artery disease - caused by the build-up of plaque that narrows or blocks blood flow through the arteries 

Heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) - there are different types of heart rhythm disorders. But, they all cause irregular heartbeats

These are just a few forms of heart disease - there are many others. You can see a more extensive list provided by Mayo Clinic here.

Who is most at risk?

There are many factors that can affect your risk for heart disease including:

• Age
• Lifestyle
• Family history
• Health conditions

Some of these factors we have no control over - such as age and family history. 

And, our health conditions can vary. Some are controllable and others aren't. 

Here are some common health conditions that can increase our risk of heart disease: 

Unhealthy blood cholesterol levels - our liver produces enough cholesterol for what our body needs, but we also get cholesterol from the foods that we eat. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol - also known as “bad” cholesterol can cause plaque buildup in our arteries.  

Obesity - higher “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels are both linked to excess body fat. Obesity can result in diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

High blood pressure - this happens when the pressure of your blood in your blood vessels and arteries is higher than normal. 

Diabetes - when you have diabetes, your body can't make enough insulin or it can’t use the insulin you already have effectively - sometimes it can’t do either well. Insulin helps move sugar (glucose) from the food you eat to your body's cells. When you have diabetes, it can cause sugar to build up in the blood - creating a higher risk for heart disease.

Our lifestyle also contributes to our risk level for heart disease. 

Tobacco, alcohol, stress levels, physical inactivity, and our diet can all affect our risk. 

But, our lifestyle choices are something we do have control over. You might not be able to reverse your aging, change your family tree, or even cure a certain health condition. 

But most of us are capable of exercising a little more and changing up our diet. 

Tips For A Healthy Heart

Just as you can go to the gym and eat nutritiously to grow your muscles and be healthier, there are also things you can do to help make your heart healthy and strong.

Many of these tips will improve your overall health, but they can also have an impact on your cholesterol, blood pressure, and body weight. In return, creating a healthier heart.

Diet - a healthy diet is crucial in developing a healthier heart. Do your best to stay away from fast foods, trans fat, refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks, and beverages. And, try to stick to a diet that includes lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, poultry, and fish.

Physical exercise - getting any form of physical exercise will do lots of good for your heart. It reduces stress, inflammation, and blood pressure. It also helps strengthen muscles which improves their ability to draw oxygen from your blood. Exercise is also a key component in maintaining a healthy body weight.

Manage stress - stress can contribute to high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. You can manage stress through exercise, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, or even journaling. The important thing is to find something you enjoy and stick to it.

Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke - smoking damages your heart and your blood vessels. Quitting can reduce your risk for heart disease even in as little as a year.

Drink alcohol in moderation - Heavy drinking causes conditions that can lead to heart disease such as stroke, heart failure, and higher blood pressure.

Closing Thoughts - American Heart Month

It’s evident that heart disease is a serious problem affecting many Americans. 

Some people are more at risk than others, and there are factors that affect our heart health that we have little to no control over.

But, we do have control over a few things.

American Heart Month is about bringing awareness to the seriousness of heart disease. And, bringing the focus to things that we can control such as our lifestyle and choices. 

So, why not start today? Start going for those daily walks or visits to the gym. Or you could even start meditating and eating a cleaner diet.

It’s all up to you!

Make sure you talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about your heart health or any of the factors that can affect it. 

And, make sure to spread awareness and educate your loved ones and friends! Bring it up in conversation or you can even share this article.

Heart Health on Evidation

Interested in learning more about your heart health? Or keeping track of symptoms related to heart health? 

Heart Health on Evidation is open to heart aware individuals who may be at risk for more serious conditions. 

If you’re an eligible Evidation Member, you may have seen the offer already. If not, and you think you may be eligible, be sure to complete your health survey and contact us if you have any questions.

If you’re not an Evidation Member, sign up today!

In an earlier article called “What is Health Research?”, we shared some brief general information about what health research is and what it looks like. Now, let’s cover the types of research studies that Evidation Studies (formerly Achievement Studies) focuses on.

What types of Studies can people participate in? 

There are several ways you can participate in research with Evidation Studies, including:

Single Surveys 

Yes! It is as simple as it sounds. We often ask our participants to answer just a single survey. In addition, we might ask you to share your recent activity data (from your activity tracker - like a Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch, etc). This information already exists in your activity tracker, so it’s quick and easy to share, if you choose to do so. Remember - your activity data belongs to you! We do not use it for research purposes unless you say we can!

Observational Studies

We do many observational studies, and they can range in effort and length from one week all the way to several years long. We often ask you to answer surveys about your health and health experience at regular times (such as once per day or once per month). We may also ask you to share your activity tracker data with us, or complete a lab test in the comfort of your own home (like a quick and easy swab of your nose or cheek).

Below, you can learn more about some of the highlights of our research!

We live and breathe ‘Decentralized’ research

The majority of our research is decentralized, which means people can participate in studies from where they are, locally. People who typically would not be able to participate in health research at big hospitals and universities can have the chance to join an online study from the comfort of their home. 

This allows Evidation Studies to invite a diverse group of people to participate, regardless of their geographic location. 

We do, occasionally, ask participants to travel to a local laboratory or care provider - but this is clearly explained before anyone chooses to participate. We make sure that any requests like these are as quick and easy to complete as possible.

What does ‘PGHD’ or ‘Person-Generated Health Data’ have to do with it? 

Evidation Studies uses what is called ‘Person-Generated Health Data’ (PGHD). PGHD is information from a person, like responses from surveys, activity and sleep data from wearables, and more! 

PGHD can:

• help researchers better understand health on an individual level. 
• contain clues to help find patterns within groups of people that live with a similar disease. 
• capture information beyond what we remember to tell our healthcare providers at our regular visits. 
• help researchers explain “How does this disease impact your everyday life?” and “How can we detect and treat this illness more effectively?” 

We look at all sorts of PGHD to understand what a person’s health experience is like outside the doctor’s office. This includes expertise in looking at data from common wearables like a watch or activity tracker or from more unique sources like air quality sensors.

We are proud of the research we conduct and look forward to the incredible ways our work contributes to health science going forward. 

Want to know more about any of our Evidation Studies and how to get involved? Reach out to us at study@evidation.com and one of our friendly team members can help you get started. 

If you want additional general information on health research, we recommend checking out the following public resources: 

• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Human Research Protections
• FDA, Clinical Trials and Human Subject Protection
• National Institutes of Health (NIH), Educational Resources
• Clinical Research Resource HUB, Resources for Participants

We’re midway through flu season, and our Flu Monitoring on Evidation Community is growing! In our first month, we were 100,000 strong, and now, more than 160,000 people from all 50 states have come together in the spirit of healthier living.

The 2021-2022 Flu Season

Even in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can’t lose focus on the flu. This year, we saw an uptick in flu-like illness after the holidays. This is shown by the increase of red on the map to the right.

Compared to this week last year, our country’s rates of flu-like illness are up drastically. This is shown in the abundance of green states in the map on the left, and the increase in yellow, orange and red states in the map on the right. Not seeking treatment can lead to increased spread in our families, social circles, and communities.

‍Slowing the spread 

These trends are worthy of our attention, and the Flu Monitoring on Evidation community is taking them seriously - especially by continuing to contribute activity data and reporting flu-like symptoms. 

Since our last community update in early December 2021, more than 37,000 community members have reported flu-like symptoms. Among them, Evidation identified nearly 13,200 cases of flu-like symptoms - up from 1600 in November. 

This early identification is possible because of you - our dedicated community. When you share your activity data and report symptoms, we can support you with insights that can prompt you to check in with your health and, help you make informed health decisions.

Here’s how it works

We look for changes in your activity data and alert you when we see a change that might mean you’re feeling under the weather. We’re interested in the relationship between changes in activity patterns and flu-like symptoms. 

Here’s what to look for in your Evidation app:

Remember, you can let us know at any time if you’re experiencing flu symptoms by selecting “yes” on the symptom and exposure offers above. Identifying early signs of flu across the country can help us slow the spread of illness. 

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Protect yourself and others 

We’re halfway there! We can all work together to stay safe and healthy for the rest of the flu season, but it’s important to know our most effective tools for prevention.  Recently, we quizzed our members on their Flu IQ, and for the most part, people know their stuff! 

However, we think it’s important to underscore the best thing you can do to protect yourself from the flu: Vaccinate!

CDC recommends the flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against the flu. And of course, preventive actions like covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs.

While it’s advised to get a flu shot earlier in the season, it’s still not too late! Join the 162 million people getting this year’s quadrivalent flu vaccine, which protects against the four most common flu viruses. And an added bonus - you can get it at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine or booster.

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January is Thyroid Awareness Month.

Like other awareness months, the goal of thyroid awareness month is to bring attention to the importance of thyroid health, encourage early diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease, and to help raise awareness for those living with thyroid conditions. 

And while most of us have some knowledge of what the thyroid gland is, many are unaware of just how big a role it plays in all our bodies’ systems.

What is the thyroid?

The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland in the middle of your neck above the collarbone and in front of your windpipe. 

Part of the endocrine system, this tiny hormone-producing gland regulates so many important functions. Metabolism, heart rate, breathing, body temperature, muscle strength, body weight, and cholesterol levels are all regulated by the thyroid. 

In fact, according to the American Thyroid Association, 

“Although the thyroid gland is relatively small, it produces a hormone that influences every cell, tissue and organ in the body.”

So it’s important to keep it functioning healthy. Luckily, there are many options for those living with thyroid conditions.

Types of thyroid disease

Thyroid disease refers to any condition that affects how the thyroid functions. There are several types of thyroid disease including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancers, and autoimmune thyroid conditions. 

Hypothyroidism

Most common in women over 60, hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, occurs when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Common symptoms include weight gain, fatigue, constipation, hair loss, sensitivity to cold, and dry skin. 

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid, occurs when the thyroid produces too much thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Common symptoms include weight loss, irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, sensitivity to heat, and anxiety.

Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders

Autoimmune thyroid disorders are organ-specific autoimmune disorders that primarily affect the thyroid. They include Grave’s disease, Hashimoto’s disease, postpartum thyroiditis, and atrophic autoimmune hypothyroidism. 

Grave’s disease - also called diffuse toxic goiter, results in an uncontrolled production of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) resulting in hyperthyroidism. 

Hashimoto’s disease - also called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis) is characterized by a loss of thyroid cells which eventually leads to hypothyroidism. 

Postpartum thyroiditis - is a temporary condition that can occur shortly after a woman has given birth. It usually starts off with an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) followed by an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). 

Atrophic autoimmune hypothyroidism - is a very rare form of hypothyroidism in which a certain type of antibody is present.

Thyroid Cancer

There are four types of thyroid cancer

• Papillary thyroid cancer
• Follicular thyroid cancer
• Medullary thyroid cancer
• Anaplastic thyroid cancer
  
  

Treatment options depend on the type of thyroid cancer.

For more information on thyroid cancer, check out the following resources.

American Cancer Society

American Thyroid Association

Mayo Clinic

What causes thyroid disease?

There’s still a lot that is unknown about the causes of thyroid disorders, but we do know that they tend to affect women more than men. 

In fact, women are five to eight times more likely to develop thyroid disease than men.

Some lifestyle factors or other medical conditions can increase your chance of developing a thyroid condition. For example, those with an autoimmune condition are more likely to develop another, including an autoimmune thyroid condition. 

Genetics play a role as well. 

According to the Cleveland Clinic:

“You may be at a higher risk of developing a thyroid disease if you:

• Have a family history of thyroid disease
• Have a medical condition (these can include pernicious anemia, type 1 diabetes, primary adrenal insufficiency, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome and Turner syndrome)
• Take a medication that’s high in iodine (amiodarone)
• Are older than 60, especially in women
• Have had treatment for a past thyroid condition or cancer (thyroidectomy or radiation)”

Diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease

Diagnosing a thyroid disorder can be tricky because symptoms are often confused with other conditions. That’s why it’s important to see your provider regularly and follow their advice for routine exams, blood work, and imaging. 

You should also talk to your provider about any symptoms that concern you.

Luckily there are common tests that can be used to determine if your symptoms are caused by a thyroid disorder. They include:

• Physical examination
• Blood tests
• Imaging tests (like ultrasound)

Thyroid awareness

According to the American Thyroid Association, around 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease, and 60 percent of those living with a thyroid condition are unaware of it. 

And since undiagnosed thyroid disease can put you at risk of serious medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and infertility, raising awareness is critical.

So talk to your doctor about thyroid health, check your thyroid at home, and share this information with others. You can share this article, post to your social media channels, or talk to your friends and family about thyroid health.

A Collaboration around Community-based health engagement: We’re joining forces with Project TECH to advance better health outcomes

One of our core values is to put individuals first--our collaboration this year with Project TECH embodies this commitment and represents an exciting step towards working directly with community leaders to encourage everyone to participate in better health outcomes.

Based in Columbia, South Carolina, with extended roots in Atlanta and Charlotte, Project TECH is an organization grounded in four community pillars: 

Technology 

Education 

Communication 

Health 

We’ve been fortunate to connect with the leaders of this organization and identify the common values that motivate our teams to do what we do. 

From our first conversation with Project TECH, it was clear that we have the opportunity to develop a new kind of collaboration model that emphasizes both group’s strengths. Evidation offers the technology and tools for better health engagement, and Project TECH helps bring the voices and experiences of their community. 

Together, we can continually improve and refine how we help individuals measure and improve their health in everyday life. 

With this ongoing collaboration, we hope to learn from and co-develop digital experiences that individuals will find helpful for improving their quality of life and meeting their health goals. Things like making healthy heart decisions and protecting each other from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To accomplish our goals, Evidation and Project TECH will host design workshops with community members. These will be collaborative spaces focused on eliminating barriers around digital health engagement and research programs, so we can work collectively to improve our offerings.

This cycle of listening and responding is at the core of our mission to put individuals first and help people take control of their own health goals. Stay tuned as we embark on this journey of co-learning.

Winter can be an especially trying time for people. The days are darker, the weather is colder, and as the holidays transition into tax season, money stressors can creep in. While money isn’t everything, it can certainly impact our mental health and well being. 

We asked our members about their relationship with financial stress and mental wellness, and an astounding 123,800 answered us in just a month’s time.

Grounded in principles of the social determinants of health, our findings demonstrate the role our financial wellness has played in our wellbeing all along: When financial stress is high, mental health wellness can be low. 

Our findings also highlight how the structural barriers that create income inequities are the same ones that make mental and physical well being harder to reach for people with lower incomes. 

While not all of these systems can change overnight, it’s important to understand what is within our control to support ourselves through financial stress.

Here’s what we heard from our members

Anxiety and stress: All respondents reported feeling some level of anxiety and stress about their personal finances, but these feelings were experienced more severely in groups living with lower incomes (below $35,000 per year).

Basic needs: The ability to meet basic needs was directly correlated with income. People living with lower incomes were less likely to be able to meet their needs, and more than 60% of respondents said their access to medical care had been limited in the last year.

Mental vs. physical health: Compared to areas like physical health, participants reported lower feelings of wellness in their relationships and in their mental health. This was felt particularly strongly among those living with lower incomes.

How people’s lives were most impacted by anxiety and depression: Tiredness and trouble sleeping were more commonly reported than any other symptoms of depression. Anxiety manifested most as restlessness, feeling afraid, and uncontrollable worry.

What we can do in the face of inequities

Shedding light on where inequities lie can help us be mindful of where our greatest needs are as a community and foster greater support.

We know that many of these inequities are centuries in the making, and while these systems might be outside of our personal control, there are things we can do to foster our own financial wellness and nurture our mental health along the way. 

As we begin the new year, there are things we can do to care for our mental health and financial wellness to set us up for a healthier and happier 2022.

Support is available.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for people facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

The CDC offers free and confidential resources to help people connect with a skilled, trained mental health professional.

Monitor your health behaviors and earn cash

Using the Evidation app can help you engage and monitor your health in a new way. Because we believe that you should be paid for data that you share, our app supports the mindful monitoring of health experiences and activities, with the added bonus of financial reward. 

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What is health research?

Research begins with a question and is the process of answering those questions. In health research specifically, studies are created to answer questions that increase our understanding of people’s health and ways to improve health. For example, we might want to learn more about people's health-related experiences, dig deeper into why people have specific health habits, or determine whether a new medication or medical product can treat a health condition.  

What a study looks like depends on the types of question researchers want to answer. Different types of research can be used to answer different questions. 

Who manages health research studies? 

Many people are involved in making a research study happen because there is a lot that goes into  a successful study. For example, someone needs to decide:

• Who should be in the study
• How those people can learn about, sign up for, and get paid for the study
• What the study steps should look like
• What data should be collected
• How the data should be analyzed

Study teams can range from a small group of people working together to much larger groups where everyone has a very specific job. In general, the people in charge of leading health research studies are the study sponsor and a principal investigator (PI). They are supported by a variety of research staff.  

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When and Where do health research studies happen?

Health research takes place all year round, at many different places. The right place for a study often depends on the questions it wants to answer.  For example, some studies take place in person, at locations called “research sites”. Research sites can be a part of a hospital, private medical practice, or a university. Study volunteers go to research sites when the study involves in-person activities, like face-to-face interviews, lab tests or other clinical procedures, or the use of devices people do not have at home. 

Other studies are conducted completely virtually, often via smartphones or computers. These studies are sometimes called “decentralized” studies because participants do not have to go to a central study location or medical office and can participate remotely, from where they are. 

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What do health research studies look like?

Different types of research can be used to answer different questions. The diagram below explains some of the different kinds of research. We'll talk more about the specific types of studies we do at Evidation (formerly Achievement) Studies in a future Research 101 post.

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Who participates in health research studies?

The most important part of health research is the study participants. Study participants are volunteers who consent (in other words, give their permission) to be in a study. They provide data through surveys, labs, assessments, and other study activities, which help researchers answer their research questions. 

Study participants are crucial to the success of a study and the future of healthcare and medicine. Without study volunteers, there is no study. And with no studies, there are no improvements to healthcare.

Where can I learn more about how to participate?

The Evidation app is great for managing your health and for offering you opportunities to participate in research.

Clinicaltrials.gov is a registry of clinical trials that provides the public with information on past and current trials.

Thanks for taking the time to learn more about health research and how it can make a difference for you and the world around you. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at study@evidation.com.