This core is predicated on the assumption that the Center's scientific mission and practical efficiency would besignificantly enhanced by centralizing expertise and resources in these areas. Although the research studiesproposed within the Center are diverse with respect to the populations being studied, clinical contexts, andstudy designs, they are unified by an underlying theoretical framework, an overlapping measurement strategy,and a commitment to the collection of data of the highest quality possible. In order to fully take advantage ofthe common features across studies and avoid duplication of effort, centralized data management,measurement, and statistical resources are essential.The ability to carry out Center-wide analyses is another important value added feature of our approach.Both pooled analysis in which identical data from multiple studies are combined and comparative analysis can be carried out. For example, pooled analysis of the psychometric properties of instruments in the core database will enable us to apply statistical methods that would not be possible by the limited sample size ofindividual studies. Similarly, only through a coordinated theoretically driven measurement and analyticapproach will we be able to test hypotheses about common pathways across diverse health endpoints,including depression, obesity, and infectious disease. This approach will enable us to explore importantquestions regarding which pathways are uniquely linked to particular health outcomes and which pathways arecommon across health outcomes.
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