WHI Data Collection and Procedures
- WHI program page on the NHLBI website.
- Frequency of data collection
- WHI Data Sharing Statement
- Participant Characteristics over Time
- Summary of data collection subsamples
- The Baseline Monograph describes the WHI study design, procedures, and components.
Help Using the WHI Data Files
- Video: Data overview and access to the repository
- User Guide to WHI Data and File Setup. Please read before downloading data and preparing files for your analysis. Prior versions of this document are also available
- WHI Data Training videos
- View data dictionaries and download WHI datasets – WHI login account with data access required to download data
- WHI data items not available on the website
Data resources publicly available
WHI Data Dictionaries
Annually WHI creates and releases a cumulative dataset for analysis. While the data files are only available to investigators with approved paper proposals, the corresponding data dictionaries provide a directory of the available variables, including their distributions within the study population.
Query Builder
The Query Builder was designed to help stimulate ideas for WHI data and biospecimen use. Queries can be based on study components, demographics, outcomes, specimen availability, test results and more.
See this introductory video to learn how to use the query builder.
Annual Progress Reports
Progress reports are annual summaries of the cumulative data at a specific point in time. They may be the easiest way to locate quick counts in the WHI data.
Specimen Test Results
WHI maintains a database of specimen results performed by WHI and ancillary studies.
- This page lists the Blood and Urine tests already completed and their QA and summary statistics.
- The query builder can help determine how many participants have a specific test result.
Genotyping Data
A subset of WHI participants have genotype data available through dbGaP or TOPMed. See this page for more detail on the genomic data available.
Ancillary Study Data
Ancillary studies collect data not normally collected by the WHI. Often these are specimen or genomic tests whose results are added to the WHI data files. If new survey, clinical measurement, or intervention data is collected, the data files and dictionaries are created by the ancillary study investigators and sent to the WHI. Use this listing to find the studies with these data.
Biologic Specimen and Data Repository Information
Coordinating Center (BioLINCC)
A subset of the WHI Clinical Trial and Observational Study data is available through BioLINCC. You do not need a WHI collaborator to access these datasets.
Resources available for those with approved paper proposals
WHI Dataset Files
If you plan to conduct the analysis yourself, a signed Data Use Agreement must be submitted to the CCC at helpdesk@whi.org. Once completed, you will be provided access to download WHI datasets (note that a WHI login account with data access is required).
Virtual Data Enclave and Medicare Data
The Virtual Data Enclave is a secure environment where approved investigators can perform analyses on data that is too sensitive to be released in our normal datasets (see sensitive data not included in investigator datasets). Medicare data on WHI participants is also available in the Virtual Data Enclave.
This is a free resource for approved investigators. Contact the WHI Coordinating Center to set up an account to use these data.
Guidelines for Specific Analyses
- Cancer mortality and survival analyses
- Post-intervention analyses of the original WHI trials
- Combined CT and OS data in observational analyses
- Body Composition Analysis
- WHI FFQ Diet-Disease Analysis
- WHI Race-Ethnicity Guide
- WHI Race-Ethnicity Guide: Summary for Analysts
- Calculation of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)
