Football Players Health Study @ Harvard University

Launched in 2014, the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University is a comprehensive research program which examines the multifactorial causes that impact the health and wellbeing of former NFL players. Our interdisciplinary study has launched several research initiatives which examine the spectrum of health conditions and concerns identified by former NFL players as those that impact their short- and long-term health. Our research model is community-based, and participatory. 

What differentiates us from other studies? Many research programs focus exclusively on one health concern. We are studying players over the course of their lifetime, examining the spectrum of health and disease that impacts their physical and mental health to develop interventions to improve health and wellbeing. We are also studying the specific ways the game of football, including position played, impacts the health of players and their families, elucidating both the benefits and risks of the game.