Population survey to human phenotypic characteristics
Answers
Knowledge of the genetic causes of health conditions and age-related physiologic changes is growing rapidly. Much of the lore of genetics and health, in addition to basic genetic science and molecular biology, comes from the study of informative families and patient groups and, to some extent, from specifically designed population studies. Many populations have been surveyed in recent years to address general health issues, and many more are being surveyed for other important reasons, such as for testing social, economic, or political hypotheses. Among the sponsors of extensive population studies of many types, emphasizing older persons and their health and social needs, is the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health. With the emerging technology for conducting genetic studies, it is time to ask whether ways can be found to exploit these major population surveys to better understand the genetics of conditions important to public health. The methodologic challenges for marrying large population surveys to genetic hypotheses are complex and not easily solved, in part because each survey was thoroughly rationalized, scrutinized, and funded to address a set of important nongenetic scientific questions relating to general health, social behavior, and economics. However, given the substantial costs of these population surveys and the restricted availability of research funds, it is essential to at least explore possible intersections of genetic inquiry with existing and planned field studies.