NIAAA Database

Data from this study will be submitted to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Database (NIAAA_DA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAAA_DA is a large database where deidentified study data from many NIAAA studies is stored and managed. Deidentified study data means that all personal information about you (such as name, address, birthdate, and phone number) is removed and replaced with a code number. Sharing your deidentified study data helps researchers learn new and important things about alcohol problems more quickly than before.

During and after the study, the research team will send deidentified study data about your health and behavior to the NIAAA_DA. Other researchers across the world can then request your deidentified study data for other research. Every researcher (and institutions to which they belong) who requests your deidentified study data must promise to keep your data safe and promise not to try to learn your identity. Experts at the NIH who know how to keep your data safe will review each request carefully to reduce risks to your privacy. Sharing your study data does have some risks, although these risks are rare. Your study data could be accidentally shared with an unauthorized person who may attempt to learn your identity. The study researchers will make every attempt to protect your identity.

You may not benefit directly from allowing your study data to be shared with NIAAA_DA. The study data provided to NIAAA_DA may help researchers around the world learn more about alcohol problems and how to help others who have problems with alcohol. NIAAA will also report to Congress and on its website about the different studies using NIAAA_DA data. You will not be contacted directly about the study data you contributed to NIAAA_DA. 

You may decide during study enrollment or after that you do not want your study data to be added to the NIAAA_DA. You can still participate in this research study even if you decide that you do not want your data to be added to the NIAAA_DA. If you decide any time after enrolling in the study that you do not want your data to be added to the NIAAA_DA, call or email the study staff who conducted this study, and they will tell NIAAA_DA to stop sharing your study data. Once your data is part of the NIAAA_DA, the study researchers cannot take back the study data that was shared before they were notified that you changed your mind. If you would like more information about NIAAA_DA, it is available online.