Norway's largest population-based study on women's health

The primary aim of The Norwegian Women and Health Study (NOWAC) is to explore factors that influence womans health, cancer development and survival. NOWAC is focused on advancing scientific knowledge to improve womans health, cancer prevention and reduce premature death both in Norway and globally

NOWAC is a prospective cohort study that primarily collects data through questionnaires. Since its inception in 1991, more than 172,000 women aged 30-70 have been recruited. Among these, 50,000 participants have provided blood samples, and some have also contributed tissue samples, including normal breast tissue and breast cancer tumour tissue. We are currently collecting data from our participants.

The NOWAC data is linked to annual updates of information from the Cancer Registry of Norway and the Norwegian Cause of Death Register.

Since 1998, NOWAC has collaborated with the European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Europe), a collaborative project between ten European countries.

NOWAC is housed at the Department of Community Medicine at the Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

Research with data from the Women and Health study

Project leaders with a PhD, affiliated with institutions with research competence, can apply for access to research data and biological material from The Norwegian Women and Cancer Study (NOWAC). For PhD and Master student projects, the main supervisor must act as the project leader, applying for data on the student's behalf.

The executive team processes applications for research data and biological material in regular meetings. An agreement between UiT via NOWAC and the responsible research institution sets the framework for the project´s access to research data and biological material. The project's use of research data and biological material must be in line with the NOWAC aims and guidelines. Furthermore, the use must be in line with the projects description/research protocol, and the required approvals that apply to single projects. The agreement also gives the right to publish a certain number of articles. If the project is delayed and requires extended access to research data or biological material, the project may apply for extension.

We kindly encourage researchers to reach out to NOWAC at the early stages of planning their research projects. This will help ensure a smooth process and avoid any potential delays.

Please explore the links below to learn more about how to apply for research data and biological material, access costs, and the executive team.

Participants in NOWAC

Firstly, we would like to acknowledge the participants for contributing to the collection of highly valuable data.

As a participant in the Norwegian Women and Health Study, you can rest assured that your personal information is used solely for health statistics and approved research objectives. We treat your data with the utmost respect for your privacy, and it is not possible to identify you from any published results. All information collected is managed in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, ensuring your privacy and confidentiality are fully protected.

Please explore the links below to learn more about how participant data is being used. 

The EPIC-study

The EPIC study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) is a comprehensive and ongoing survey that investigates the effects of diet, nutrition, lifestyle and environmental factors on the incidence of cancer and other chronic diseases among different European populations. The study, which began in the 1990s, is among the largest of its kind globally, involving over half a million participants from 10 countries in Western Europe and spanning more than 30 years. 

The EPIC study is a prospective cohort study, which has, like the Norwegian Women and Health Study, collected baseline data from participants before the disease onset, which makes it possible to perform comparative analyses over time to understand why some individuals develop diseases while others do not. This approach provides important insights into cancer development at different sites in the body and helps us understand more about early cancer detection. Early diagnosis improves the prospects for successful treatment and longer survival. 

Findings from the EPIC study are essential for providing knowledge-based guidance to government bodies and public health policymakers, and inform strategies for the prevention of cancer and chronic diseases. By disseminating research results to the public, the study also plays a key role in educating individuals about the benefits of healthy eating and lifestyle habits for disease prevention, thereby contributing to public health on a broad scale. 

The EPIC study is coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an international organization that is part of the World Health Organization (WHO) with headquarters in Lyon, France.

Questionnaire data, dietary recall data and blood samples of the participants in the Norwegian EPIC subcohort are stored at IARC and at UiT. Additionally, questionnaire data and blood samples from other participants in the Norwegian Women and Cancer Study may in individual cases be transferred to IARC for some projects, and will be stored for a limited period at the IARC server, until the analyses are completed, and will then be deleted. All ongoing projects have ethical approvals in place. 

Publications

NOWAC has been an important source of data for many scientific publications. Several publications have used data solely from NOWAC, while other have used NOWAC data in combination with other sources. A subset of NOWAC is included in the European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). EPIC is a large prospective cohort study with participants recruited across 10 European coutries. The Norwegian branch of EPIC is supplied by NOWAC.

Please be advised that some publications are behind a paywall.

Publications will be updated on an ongoing basis.