{"id":2572,"date":"2023-07-12T19:13:33","date_gmt":"2023-07-12T23:13:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/?page_id=2572"},"modified":"2026-04-07T15:38:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T19:38:05","slug":"using-redcap-for-nih-data-sharing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/using-redcap-for-nih-data-sharing\/","title":{"rendered":"Using REDCap for NIH Data Sharing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"in-page-tabs\"><ul id=\"menu-redcap\" class=\"menu nav nav-tabs\"><li id=\"menu-item-4436\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children dropdown\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/\" class=\"dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\">REDCap Usage<b class=\"caret\"><\/b><\/a>\n<ul class=\"dropdown-menu\">\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-4437\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/uch-redcap-user-agreement\/\">REDCap User Agreement<\/a><\/li>\t<li id=\"menu-item-4439\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/redcap-project-eligibility\/\">REDCap Usage &amp; Project Eligibility<\/a><\/li>\t<li id=\"menu-item-4440\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/redcap-user-eligibility\/\">REDCap User Eligibility<\/a><\/li>\t<li id=\"menu-item-4438\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/new-redcap-policy-and-fee-faq\/\">REDCap Usage Fees<\/a><\/li><!--.dropdown-->\n<\/ul>\n<\/li><li id=\"menu-item-4441\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/redcap-account-request\/\">REDCap Account Request<\/a><\/li><li id=\"menu-item-4446\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children dropdown\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/redcap-login-issues\/\" class=\"dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\">REDCap Login Issues<b class=\"caret\"><\/b><\/a>\n<ul class=\"dropdown-menu\">\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-4447\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/redcap-account-request\/uchc-user-login-issues\/\">UCHC User Login Issues<\/a><\/li>\t<li id=\"menu-item-4448\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/redcap-account-request\/login-issues\/\">UConn &amp; External Users Login Issues<\/a><\/li><!--.dropdown-->\n<\/ul>\n<\/li><li id=\"menu-item-4442\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/redcap-training\/\">REDCap Training<\/a><\/li><li id=\"menu-item-4443\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/guides-how-tos\/\">REDCap Guides &amp; How-to<\/a><\/li><li id=\"menu-item-4449\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children dropdown\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/scheduled-maintenance\/\" class=\"dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\">REDCap Maintenance<b class=\"caret\"><\/b><\/a>\n<ul class=\"dropdown-menu\">\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-4678\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/scheduled-maintenance\/\">REDCap Maintenance<\/a><\/li>\t<li id=\"menu-item-4450\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/scheduled-maintenance\/new-features-improvements\/\">REDCap Upgrade Details<\/a><\/li><!--.dropdown-->\n<\/ul>\n<\/li><li id=\"menu-item-4451\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/redcap-systems\/\">REDCap Systems<\/a><\/li><li id=\"menu-item-4452\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/using-redcap-for-nih-data-sharing\/\">Using REDCap for NIH Data Sharing<\/a><\/li><li id=\"menu-item-4453\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/citing-redcap\/\">Citing REDCap<\/a><\/li><li id=\"menu-item-4455\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/services\/informatics-core\/redcap\/redcap_news\/\">REDCap News You Can Use<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div id=\"top\" class=\"redcap-nda-guide\" style=\"max-width: 1100px;margin: 0 auto;line-height: 1.7;color: #1f2937\">\n<h1 style=\"margin-bottom: 6px\">REDCap &amp; NIH Data Archive (NDA) Guidance<\/h1>\n<p style=\"font-size: 1.08em;margin-top: 0\">If your study includes data sharing or archiving requirements with the NIH Data Archive (NDA), it is critical to plan your REDCap project accordingly from the start.<\/p>\n<p>NDA submissions require structured, standardized, and well-documented data. Designing your REDCap project with these requirements in mind will significantly reduce rework and ensure successful data submission.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background: #fef2f2;border-left: 6px solid #dc2626;padding: 14px 16px;margin: 22px 0;border-radius: 4px\"><strong>Important:<\/strong> If your study requires NDA submission, you <strong>cannot<\/strong> treat REDCap as a standalone data collection tool. Your project must be structured to support downstream data sharing, validation, and formatting requirements.<\/div>\n<div style=\"background: #eff6ff;border-left: 6px solid #2563eb;padding: 14px 16px;margin: 22px 0;border-radius: 4px\"><strong>Core Principle:<\/strong> Design your REDCap project with the <strong>end data submission format in mind<\/strong>.<\/div>\n<div style=\"background: #f0f9ff;border: 1px solid #bae6fd;padding: 16px 18px;margin: 24px 0;border-radius: 6px\">\n<h2 style=\"margin-top: 0\">On this page<\/h2>\n<ul style=\"margin: 0;padding-left: 20px\">\n<li><a href=\"#nda-overview\">What is NDA?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#why-it-matters\">Why This Matters in REDCap<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#design-considerations\">Key Design Considerations<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#phi\">Handling Identifiers &amp; PHI<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#data-structure\">Data Structure &amp; Standardization<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#testing\">Testing &amp; Validation<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#resources\">Resources &amp; Guidance<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr style=\"margin: 30px 0\" \/>\n<h2 id=\"nda-overview\" style=\"background: #329EB8;color: white;padding: 12px 16px;border-radius: 6px\">What is the NIH Data Archive (NDA)?<\/h2>\n<p>The NIH Data Archive (NDA) is a centralized repository for sharing and preserving research data, particularly for studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).<\/p>\n<p>NDA requires:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Standardized data structures<\/li>\n<li>Defined data elements<\/li>\n<li>Consistent coding and formatting<\/li>\n<li>Proper handling of identifiers and subject-level data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: right\"><a href=\"#top\">Back to top \u2191<\/a><\/div>\n<hr style=\"margin: 30px 0\" \/>\n<h2 id=\"why-it-matters\" style=\"background: #329EB8;color: white;padding: 12px 16px;border-radius: 6px\">Why This Matters in REDCap<\/h2>\n<p>REDCap projects that are not designed with NDA requirements in mind often require significant restructuring before submission.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Variable names may not align with NDA data elements<\/li>\n<li>Response options may not match required coding<\/li>\n<li>Data may need to be reshaped or reformatted<\/li>\n<li>Identifiers may not be handled appropriately<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: #fff7ed;border-left: 6px solid #ea580c;padding: 14px 16px;margin: 20px 0;border-radius: 4px\"><strong>Best practice:<\/strong> Align your REDCap data dictionary with NDA data structures <strong>before building<\/strong>.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: right\"><a href=\"#top\">Back to top \u2191<\/a><\/div>\n<hr style=\"margin: 30px 0\" \/>\n<h2 id=\"design-considerations\" style=\"background: #329EB8;color: white;padding: 12px 16px;border-radius: 6px\">Key Design Considerations<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Use standardized variable naming conventions<\/li>\n<li>Match response choices to NDA-required coding when applicable<\/li>\n<li>Avoid unnecessary free text fields<\/li>\n<li>Ensure consistent data formats (dates, numeric values, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Document field definitions clearly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: #eff6ff;border-left: 6px solid #2563eb;padding: 14px 16px;margin: 20px 0;border-radius: 4px\"><strong>Best practice:<\/strong> Build your REDCap project as if it were already in its final export format.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: right\"><a href=\"#top\">Back to top \u2191<\/a><\/div>\n<hr style=\"margin: 30px 0\" \/>\n<h2 id=\"phi\" style=\"background: #329EB8;color: white;padding: 12px 16px;border-radius: 6px\">Handling Identifiers &amp; PHI<\/h2>\n<p>NDA submissions often involve subject-level data that must be carefully managed and de-identified according to NIH requirements.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do not use direct identifiers as record IDs<\/li>\n<li>Clearly flag identifier fields in REDCap<\/li>\n<li>Separate identifiable and non-identifiable data where appropriate<\/li>\n<li>Follow IRB and institutional policies for data sharing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: #fef2f2;border-left: 6px solid #dc2626;padding: 14px 16px;margin: 20px 0;border-radius: 4px\"><strong>Important:<\/strong> REDCap does not automatically prepare data for NDA submission. Proper handling of identifiers is the responsibility of the study team.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: right\"><a href=\"#top\">Back to top \u2191<\/a><\/div>\n<hr style=\"margin: 30px 0\" \/>\n<h2 id=\"data-structure\" style=\"background: #329EB8;color: white;padding: 12px 16px;border-radius: 6px\">Data Structure &amp; Standardization<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensure consistent variable formats across all records<\/li>\n<li>Use coded values instead of free text where possible<\/li>\n<li>Understand whether NDA expects wide vs long format<\/li>\n<li>Plan for repeat measures and longitudinal data structure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: #fff7ed;border-left: 6px solid #ea580c;padding: 14px 16px;margin: 20px 0;border-radius: 4px\"><strong>Best practice:<\/strong> Standardization at the time of data collection is far more efficient than post hoc data cleaning.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: right\"><a href=\"#top\">Back to top \u2191<\/a><\/div>\n<hr style=\"margin: 30px 0\" \/>\n<h2 id=\"testing\" style=\"background: #329EB8;color: white;padding: 12px 16px;border-radius: 6px\">Testing &amp; Validation<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Export sample data early in development<\/li>\n<li>Compare exports to NDA requirements<\/li>\n<li>Validate coding, formats, and structure<\/li>\n<li>Identify gaps before data collection begins<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: #eff6ff;border-left: 6px solid #2563eb;padding: 14px 16px;margin: 20px 0;border-radius: 4px\"><strong>Best practice:<\/strong> Perform a \u201cmock NDA submission\u201d using test data before go-live.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: right\"><a href=\"#top\">Back to top \u2191<\/a><\/div>\n<hr style=\"margin: 30px 0\" \/>\n<h2 id=\"resources\" style=\"background: #329EB8;color: white;padding: 12px 16px;border-radius: 6px\">Resources &amp; Guidance<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2023\/07\/REDCap-Data-Sharing-and-NDA.pdf\">Using REDCap for NIH Data Archive<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2023\/07\/Guidance-for-Preparing-REDCap-Data-for-NIMH-Data-Archive-Submission.pdf\">Guidance for Preparing REDCap Data for NIH Data Archive Submission<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nda.nih.gov\/nda\/webinars-and-tutorials.html\">NDA Webinars &amp; Tutorials<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nda.nih.gov\/nda\/data-contribution.html\">NDA Data Contribution Portal<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/aits\/dmsp\/\">Data Management &amp; Sharing Plans (DMSP)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background: #f0fdf4;border-left: 6px solid #16a34a;padding: 14px 16px;margin: 20px 0;border-radius: 4px\"><strong>Tip:<\/strong> If your project includes an NIH Data Management &amp; Sharing Plan (DMSP), ensure your REDCap build aligns with those requirements from the outset.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: right\"><a href=\"#top\">Back to top \u2191<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>REDCap Usage REDCap User Agreement REDCap Usage &amp; Project Eligibility REDCap User Eligibility REDCap Usage Fees REDCap Account RequestREDCap Login Issues UCHC User Login Issues UConn &amp; External Users Login Issues REDCap TrainingREDCap Guides &amp; How-toREDCap Maintenance REDCap Maintenance REDCap Upgrade Details REDCap SystemsUsing REDCap for NIH Data SharingCiting REDCapREDCap News You Can Use REDCap [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4679,"featured_media":0,"parent":914,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-30 19:23:30","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2572"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4679"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2572"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2572\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4740,"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2572\/revisions\/4740"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/914"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/health.uconn.edu\/clinical-research-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}