Grid-Enabled Measures Database

NCI

Westat worked with NCI to design and develop GEM, an interactive website and collaborative tool aimed at facilitating the use of common measures in biobehavioral research and sharing harmonized data for meta-analysis. The behavioral and social science measures in GEM are organized by theoretical constructs. Measures include information such as psychometric properties that can be used to select the most appropriate measure of a given construct. GEM users can search for a construct, see a definition of the construct, view its associated theoretical foundation, and download different measures of the construct. They can also search for a measure and see attributes of that measure (e.g., definition, target population, author, reliability, validity), including the associated construct. Users help build the database by adding and editing constructs and measures, and by providing feedback and ratings.

In 2011, Westat and NCI began developing GEM “workspaces,” in which groups of users with shared research interests can interact with each other about measures contained in the GEM database. These workspaces also allow researchers to rate measures based on guidance from group leaders. Many workspaces support NCI initiatives that promote the addition of new GEM content. They can also bring new users to the website, and increase dissemination of information and community ratings of measures into the research community.