www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, September 25, 2015 | 20 Oakville participants sought to take part in Ontario Health Study by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff A multi-million-dollar provincial study is looking for Oakville and Burlington participants to not only help further research into chronic diseases such as cancer, but to also learn more about their own health. The Ontario Health Study (OHS) is a population-based, health cohort study that is part of a larger national component called the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project L O W E S T P R I C E G U A R A N T E E D ! 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"The data is pooled nationally to dramatically increase the sample size and breadth of research that can be conducted," said Kelly McDonald, OHS program manager. "It will help researchers understand how our genes, our lifestyle, our environment, all work together to affect our health over time. "The aim of the study is to work with researchers to then develop strategies for the prevention, early detection and treatment of various chronic diseases, particularly cancer, diabetes, heart disease," she continued. The OHS is looking for residents aged 3569 to complete a questionnaire and, for eligible participants, provide a blood sample. "The information provided in the OHS questionnaire by participants gives us an overall snapshot of the health of Ontarians, as well as their exposure to common risk factors," said Dr. Philip Awadalla, OHS executive research director. "Combining questionnaire responses with a blood sample provided at the Study Centre allows us to get a more detailed look at their health. These data allow researchers to draw comprehensive conclusions about the health of the overall population." The Oakville Study Centre will be located at Town Hall in the Palermo Room, 1225 Trafalgar Rd., while the Burlington Study Centre is at the Mountainside Recreation Centre's Community Room 1, 2205 Mount Forest Dr. Both centres will be open: Monday (Sept. 28) from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Tuesday, Sept. 29 (9 a.m.9 p.m.); Wednesday, Sept. 30 and Thursday, Oct. 1 (9 a.m.-4 p.m. both days). "The study is relatively unique in the sense that it's long term and that the goal is really to follow these individuals over time," said McDonald, noting, ideally, the study would follow participants through their lifetime, but that depends on funding. The OHS is supported by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Cancer Care Ontario, Public Health Ontario and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer -- it is not funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. A pilot phase of the study was held in 2009. No personal or identifying information is shared from the study, noted McDonald, as everything is coded and the personal information is stripped away from the data. The study will continue to communicate with participants through a newsletter that updates them on its activities, who is using the data, and what findings have come out of it. McDonald said the main purpose o is to create a platform for research not only provincially, but across Canada and internationally. For information, visit OntarioHealthStudy. ca/Oakville or OntarioHealthStudy.ca/ Burlington, call 1-866-606-0686 or email info@ontariohealthstudy.ca. 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