The Boston metropolitan area will serve as a laboratory for this NIDDK-sponsored epidemiologic study, which will examine a range of urological problems that profoundly affect the daily lives of Americans. These problems include interstitial cystitis, urinary incontinence, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and sexual function. Approximately 6,000 men and women, ages 30 to 79, will be randomly sampled from city neighborhoods and interviewed in their homes. A third of the population will be African Americans, a third Hispanic, and a third white.
The new Institute of Community Studies at the New England Research Institute (NERI) will conduct the survey. Interviewers will obtain basic data about nutrition, physical activity, access to health care, and other health issues, in addition to obtaining important physical measurements and blood specimens for hormone, cholesterol, and lipid levels.
Of interest to the survey are health disparities and inequalities. BACH will be especially concerned with lack of adequate health insurance, lack of access to adequate medical care, and how these problems influence patterns of disease. The study will also focus on social determinants of disease that are over and above the contribution of individual characteristics and risk factors.
A neighborhood Community Advisory Board has been selected to guide the survey. The board comprises members from service, business, and health organizations in the community as well as state and city officials.
Program Manager: Paul Eggers, Ph.D., 301-594-7717.
