About Participation

Who can participate in the Family Study?

Spouses of service members invited to participate in the Millennium Cohort Study are eligible to participate. While we appreciate all interest in the Family Study, the scientific validity of this study requires our researchers to follow certain recruitment protocols. This means that only those who receive invitations can participate.

What does my participation entail?

Participants will be asked to complete an online questionnaire every 3-5 years. The survey takes an average of 45 minutes to complete. Upon survey completion you will be provided with a digital $10 Amazon gift code that can be used immediately.

Are there risks to participation?

The study team understands the sensitivity of health-related information. All survey responses are confidential and will not be shared with military commands, disability evaluators, insurance companies or anyone else not directly involved in data analysis. All data are maintained securely (see "How Safe is My Information", below). Only summary information from the entire Family Study cohort, with no identifying information, will be published.

How safe is my information?

Very safe! The information you provide is protected and stored in conjunction with a Subject ID number instead of your name. Only Millennium Cohort Family Study researchers have access to the data. Information stored on computers is protected by all measures required by DoD computer security regulations. Additionally, information cannot be obtained through requests from organizations such as insurance companies.