Working with WHI Data

Annually, the WHI CCC creates and releases a cumulative dataset for analysis. While the data are only available to investigators with approved paper proposals, the corresponding data dictionaries provide a directory of the available variables, including their distributions within the study population.

The Query Builder was designed to help stimulate ideas for WHI data and biospecimen use.   Queries can be based on study components, demographics, outcomes, specimen availability, test results and more.

See this introductory video to learn how to use the query builder.

Progress reports are annual summaries of the cumulative data at a specific point in time. They may be the easiest way to locate quick counts in the WHI data.

WHI maintains a database of specimen results performed by WHI and ancillary studies.

• This page lists the Blood and Urine tests already completed and their QA and summary statistics.
• The query builder can help determine how many participants with a specific test result.

A subset of WHI participants have genotype data available through dbGaP or TOPMed.  See this page for more detail on the genomic data available.

Ancillary studies collect data not normally collected by the WHI. Often these are specimen or genomic tests whose results are added to the WHI data files.  If new survey, clinical measurement, or intervention data is collected, the data files and dictionaries are created by the ancillary study investigators and sent to the WHI.  Use this listing to find the studies with these data.

If you plan to conduct the analysis yourself, a signed Data Use Agreement must be submitted to the CCC at helpdesk@whi.org. Once completed, you will be provided access to download WHI datasets (note that a WHI login account with data access is required).

Some sensitive data are not included in the dataset files, but are available for analysis.  Approved investigators can contact the WHI Coordinating Center to set up an account on our Virtual Data Enclave to use these data.

• Cancer mortality and survival analyses
• Post-intervention analyses of the original WHI trials
• Combined CT and OS data in observational analyses
• Body Composition Analysis
• WHI FFQ Diet-Disease Analysis
• Addressing Diversity in WHI analyses