CHEERS Research Study
Do you exercise and play outdoors in the Chicago area? If so, you may be eligible to participate in a research study that looks at the connection between outdoor recreation and public health.
The University of Illinois (UIC) School of Public Health is conducting a three year research study of water quality and health among people who use the Chicago River for recreation. The research study called CHEERS, the Chicago Health, Environmental Exposure and Recreation Study, is being undertaken to better understand the relationship between water quality and recreation.
The UIC research project will involve a variety of measures of water quality conducted on the Chicago River system and will involve recruiting people who use the river and nearby bike paths, parks and trails. The research team will track the health of people who participate in the project before and after river recreation. People who paddle, row, or fish on the river are eligible, as well as those who bike, jog or do other kinds of exercise nearby. The research involves answering questions about your health and does NOT involve any drugs or treatments.
Friends is helping spread the word about this research among the community of Chicago River users. The UIC team will pitch its tents along the river at various events seeking to recruit participants throughout the 2008 season. Stay tuned to find out more about the CHEERS project.
For more information about CHEERS, visit the study website at www.cheerschicago.org. You can also contact Cynthia Fox at (312) 939-0490, ext. 13 or cfox@chicagoriver.org.
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