The Health of Women Study (HOW)

The Health of Women (HOW) Study

The HOW Study is a first-of-its-kind international online study for women and men with and without a history of breast cancer. The investigators will collect information about your health, your job, your diet, and your family history, among other topics that can help us get a better understanding of breast cancer and its potential causes. Periodically, the investigators will send you questionnaires about anything and everything. All you have to do is fill them out online. It's that simple. This is a partnership and the investigators need you for the long haul. The more questionnaires you fill out, the more information the investigators will have that can help us have a better understanding of why women get breast cancer.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Breast Cancer

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 55008

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Santa Monica, California, United States, 90403
      • Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Women and men aged 18 and older, with or without breast cancer, and of all nationalities and ethnicities, from the United States and beyond, are encouraged to participate in the study.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men
• Women
• 18 years and older

Exclusion Criteria:

• Under the age of 18

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
HOW study participants

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Breast cancer diagnosis question	In the "My Health Overview" questionnaire, the participant will be asked "have you been diagnosed with breast cancer?" Responses available are yes, no, I don't know / I can't remember, and I'd rather not say. This question will be asked in the initial questionnaire and every five years following that.	Participants will be followed for the duration of the cohort study, up to 20 years.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Questions about general health status	Demographic characteristics will be obtained, questions about menstruation, pregnancy, hormone use, and lifestyle behaviors are asked in the "My Health Overview" questionnaire.	General health status questions are available at baseline, just after enrolling in the HOW study. Participants will be followed for the duration of the cohort study, up to 20 years.
Questions about personal and family health history	The "My Personal and Family Health History" questionnaire asks about chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, and asthma, for the individual as well as their family members.	Health history questions are available after the completion of the general health status questions. Participants will be followed for the duration of the cohort study, up to 20 years.
Questions about health, weight, and exercise	The "Health, Weight, and Exercise" questionnaire asks about sleeping patterns, weight status, a variety of exercise questions, daily activities, and prescription use.	Health, weight, and exercise questions are available after the completion of the health history questions. Participants will be followed for the duration of the cohort study, up to 20 years.
Questions about environmental exposures	The "Environmental Exposures" questionnaire asks about cosmetic product usage, personal hygiene product usage, and second hand smoke exposure.	Environmental exposure questions are available after the completion of the health, weight, and exercise questions. Participants will be followed for the duration of the cohort study, up to 20 years.
Questions about health symptoms (quality of life)	The "Quality of Life" questionnaire asks about a variety of health symptoms including problems with digestion, concentration, sex, and mental health. If you are a breast cancer survivor, you will be asked if these symptoms are related to your treatment.	Health symptom questions are available at baseline, just after enrolling in the HOW study. Participants will be followed for the duration of the cohort study, up to 20 years.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Susan Love, MD, Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Related Info

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 18, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): July 18, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 18, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 6, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): January 8, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 13, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 12, 2019
• Last Verified: December 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 20091527