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Have you ever wanted to help improve Latino health? Now is your chance!
The National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program is recruiting at least one million diverse people to share information about their health history and environment.
Information collected for the database helps researchers learn how biology, lifestyle, and our environment affects our health.
As part of the effort, participants donate a biospecimen in the form of a blood or saliva sample.
Biospecimens can help researchers find new ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or cancer, among Latinos and other groups.
“We may study your samples to measure things that naturally occur within our bodies, for example, cholesterol,” according to the All of Us participant portal. “We may look for signs of outside factors that affect health. For example, environmental toxins, medications, or drugs.”
Sign up for All of Us directly in English or Spanish, or via a local healthcare provider!
Why Should Latinos Participate?
Information and biospecimens are especially needed from Latinos, who have historically been underrepresented in medical research.
This underrepresentation results in less understanding of Latino health, contributing to health disparities, such as Latinos having a higher risk of liver, cervical, stomach, and rare cancers than their peers.
All of Us aims to boost inclusion of Latinos and other minorities in research.
“Our goal is to make discoveries that improve people’s health in the future,” according to the All of Us participant portal. “You may help future generations by taking part.”
To help All of Us meet its goal of increasing diversity in medical research, South Texas Blood & Tissue in San Antonio has partnered with the research program – making it even easier for South Texas Latinos to participate.
Your health information and biospecimen could help researchers conduct thousands of research studies that benefit Latino health.
“Latinos who donate biospecimens are heroes. Their contributions enable researchers to make medical discoveries and build new therapies to help millions of Latinos across the nation,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of the Salud America! Latino health equity program at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.
Sign up for All of Us directly in English or Spanish, or via a local healthcare provider!
Am I Eligible for All of Us?
Anyone 18 years or older living in the United States can volunteer to participate in All of Us, regardless of health condition or prior blood donation eligibility.
No health insurance is required. Any appointments needed to take part are free.
“You don’t have to speak English to join. We have Spanish-speaking advisors to help you,” according to the All of Us website.
Watch this video to see how the program works or learn about research being done.
Sign up for All of Us directly in English or Spanish, or via a local healthcare provider!
How Can I Participate in All of Us in South Texas?
Latinos and all interested people in South Texas can join the program by visiting JoinAllofUs.org/SouthTexasBlood.
After completing an online portion, participants may be asked to visit South Texas Blood & Tissue in San Antonio to have physical measurements taken and give blood and urine samples.
All information collected for All of Us will be stored on protected computers, and participants’ names and other direct identifiers, like Social Security numbers, will be removed.
Participants may be compensated for their time and travel with a $25 gift card.
Participants can also receive genetic health-related information to learn about their traits and genetic ancestry.
To learn more, call 210-731-5589 or email Research@SouthTexasBlood.org.
Read the original press release here.
Sign up for All of Us directly in English or Spanish, or via a local healthcare provider!
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