[Enrolment and follow-up of a birth cohort in Rome]

(Arruolamento e follow-up di una coorte di neonati a Roma.)

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
Longitudinal studies on cohorts of babies enrolled at birth are ongoing in Europe. On the basis of these experiences, a birth cohort study should be implemented in Italy at a national level. A pilot study is ongoing in Rome, from which we report data on adherence at recruitment and follow-up.

DESIGN:
Prospective cohort study. Setting:
the birth cohort was enrolled between June 2003 and October 2004, in two hospital ofRome in the district ofthe Local Health Unit RME.

PARTICIPANTS:
we enrolled children of women older than 18 years, Italian citizens and residents in the Local Health Unit RME.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Baseline characteristics of enrolled women were compared with those of refusals, and characteristics of children with a complete follow-up with those lost at follow-up. Prevalence Rate ratio (PR) and the relative 95% confidence interval were calculated.

RESULTS:
The cohort consisted of 704 women (54% of the contacted) and 719 children. A low level of instruction (PR 2.84), and a caesarean delivery (OR 1.41) were significantly associated with the refusal. After the enrolment 25 children were lost, 117 were partially followed-up and 577 had a complete follow-up until the 15 month visit. Mothers of children lost at follow-up were less instructed (PR 1.69) and smoked during pregnancy (PR 1.57).

CONCLUSIONS:
During the enrolment and the follow-up of a birth cohort greater efforts must be done to avoid selection for the socioeconomic level of the family. Keeping a high response rate to follow-up is the only way to ensure a good level of internal validity.

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Author information

Author/s: Porta, Daniela (D); Forastiere, Francesco (F); Di Lallo, Domenico (D); Perucci, Carlo A (CA); Grupo Collaborativo GASPII;

Affiliation: Dipartimento di epidemiologia, ASL Roma E, Roma. porta(-atsign-)asplazio.it

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; English Abstract; Journal Article

Journal: Epidemiologia e prevenzione (Epidemiol Prev), published in Italy. (Language: ita)

Reference: -2007 Nov-Dec; vol 31 (issue 6) : pp 303-8

Dates: Created 2008/03/10; Completed 2008/03/27;

PMID: 18326421, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Infant, Newborn
Interviews as Topic
Mothers
Pilot Projects
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies
Rome
Smoking - epidemiology
Socioeconomic Factors

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