title: Toward resolution of cardiovascular health disparities in African Americans: design and methods of the Jackson Heart Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The design, overall methods, and major phenotypes for the all-African-American Jackson Heart Study (JHS) are detailed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were enrolled from the three counties that make up the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan area. Relatives of selected participants were recruited to develop a large, nested family cohort. Participants provided extensive medical and social history, had an array of physical and biochemical measurements and diagnostic procedures, and provided genomic DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data and biologic materials have been collected from 5302 adult African Americans, including 1499 members of 291 families. Participants have a high prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and related disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The JHS dataset and biologic materials (serum, DNA, and cryopreserved cells) offer a valuable resource for the study of diseases that are of particular importance to African Americans.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and the Examination Center, Jackson Heart Study, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson 39216-4505, USA. htaylor@medicine.umsmed.edu
authors.forename: Herman A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Sarpong
authors.forename: Asoka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Garrison
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Sharon B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Wyatt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044383:Black People; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008922:Mississippi / Q000453:epidemiology; D010641:Phenotype; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D001741:Black or African American