The collaborative epidemiological research network project of the six national centers in Japan (6NCs) for advanced and specialized medicine -National Center Cohort Collaborative for Advancing Population Health (NC-CCAPH)-

Abstract

In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed the concept of "healthy life" (that indicates a period of time during which individuals' daily living activities are not limited by health-related problems). When shedding light on how to increase healthy life expectancy from the viewpoint of disease prevention, taking the above-stated background into account, it is not enough just to prevent each disease. Rather, it is necessary to take comprehensive preventive actions to cover various diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and cognitive disorders.

The national center cohort collaborative for advancing population health (NC-CCAPH) was established as the six national centers (6NCs)' epidemiological research collaboration platform, to conduct pooled analyses and mutual data analyses by exchange and cooperation among researchers. We have established an analysis platform for this project, which offers both onsite and remote access with information security protection. We have also launched a working group to make recommendations to extend the healthy life expectancy of Japanese, based on evidence for comprehensive disease prevention.

Perspectives

• Strengthened system to promote comprehensive disease prevention research:

The number of researchers who maintain data, the analysis platform and who perform analyses has increased.

• Promotion of collaborative research activities for creating evidence for comprehensive disease prevention:

We have established an analysis platform for this project, which offers both onsite and remote access with information security protection. We also launched a working group for pooled and mutual data analysis.

• Promotion of collaborative activities for comprehensive disease prevention:

We have launched a working group to make recommendations to extend the healthy life expectancy of Japanese, based on evidence for comprehensive disease prevention. The recommendations were published in February, 2021.

Comments from principal researcher

Japan is facing an aging society, and therefore comprehensive disease prevention is indispensable for extending healthy life expectancy. We aim to contribute to the extension of healthy life by promoting epidemiological research, and by establishing disease prevention recommendations and guidelines. By collaborating with each national center and making the most of its expertise, we promote research aimed at comprehensive disease prevention, not just single disease prevention.