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When a birth cohort grows up: challenges and opportunities in longitudinal developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2022

Emily Oken Open the ORCID record for Emily Oken [Opens in a new window] ,
Theresa M. Bastain ,
Nicole Bornkamp ,
Carrie V. Breton ,
Rebecca C. Fry ,
Diane R. Gold ,
Marie-France Hivert Open the ORCID record for Marie-France Hivert [Opens in a new window] ,
Steve Howland ,
Daniel J. Jackson  and
Christine C. Johnson
...Show all authors
Emily Oken*
Affiliation:
Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA Department of Nutrition, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
Theresa M. Bastain
Affiliation:
Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Nicole Bornkamp
Affiliation:
Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
Carrie V. Breton
Affiliation:
Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Rebecca C. Fry
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Diane R. Gold
Affiliation:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Department of Medicine, Channing Division of Network Medicine; Environmental Health Department, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
Marie-France Hivert
Affiliation:
Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
Steve Howland
Affiliation:
Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Daniel J. Jackson
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
Christine C. Johnson
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI, USA
Kyra Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI, USA
MollyAn Killingbeck
Affiliation:
Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
T. Michael O’Shea
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Marleny Ortega
Affiliation:
Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
Dennis Ownby
Affiliation:
Division of Allergy and Immunology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
Frederica Perera
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
Julie V. Rollins
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Julie B. Herbstman
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
*
Address for correspondence: Dr. Emily Oken, Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA. Email: Emily_Oken@harvardpilgrim.org
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Abstract

High-quality evidence from prospective longitudinal studies in humans is essential to testing hypotheses related to the developmental origins of health and disease. In this paper, the authors draw upon their own experiences leading birth cohorts with longitudinal follow-up into adulthood to describe specific challenges and lessons learned. Challenges are substantial and grow over time. Long-term funding is essential for study operations and critical to retaining study staff, who develop relationships with participants and hold important institutional knowledge and technical skill sets. To maintain contact, we recommend that cohorts apply multiple strategies for tracking and obtain as much high-quality contact information as possible before the child’s 18th birthday. To maximize engagement, we suggest that cohorts offer flexibility in visit timing, length, location, frequency, and type. Data collection may entail multiple modalities, even at a single collection timepoint, including measures that are self-reported, research-measured, and administrative with a mix of remote and in-person collection. Many topics highly relevant for adolescent and young adult health and well-being are considered to be private in nature, and their assessment requires sensitivity. To motivate ongoing participation, cohorts must work to understand participant barriers and motivators, share scientific findings, and provide appropriate compensation for participation. It is essential for cohorts to strive for broad representation including individuals from higher risk populations, not only among the participants but also the staff. Successful longitudinal follow-up of a study population ultimately requires flexibility, adaptability, appropriate incentives, and opportunities for feedback from participants.

Keywords

Cohortlongitudinaldevelopmental origins
Type
Review
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , April 2023 , pp. 175 - 181
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press in association with International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

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Footnotes

See Acknowledgments for full listing of collaborators.

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