Examining life-course influences on chronic disease: the importance of birth cohort studies from low- and middle- income countries. An overview
Braz. j. med. biol. res
; 40(9): 1277-1286, Sept. 2007. ilus, tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-460906
Responsible library:
BR1.1
ABSTRACT
The objectives of this overview are to describe the past and potential contributions of birth cohorts to understanding chronic disease aetiology; advance a justification for the maintenance of birth cohorts from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC); provide an audit of birth cohorts from LMIC; and, finally, offer possible future directions for this sphere of research. While the contribution of birth cohorts from affluent societies to understanding disease aetiology has been considerable, we describe several reasons to anticipate why the results from such studies might not be directly applied to LMIC. More than any other developing country, Brazil has a tradition of establishing, maintaining and exploiting birth cohort studies. The clear need for a broader geographical representation may be precipitated by a greater collaboration worldwide in the sharing of ideas, fieldwork experience, and cross-country cohort data comparisons in order to carry out the best science in the most efficient manner. This requires the involvement of a central overseeing body - such as the World Health Organization - that has the respect of all countries and the capacity to develop strategic plans for `global' life-course epidemiology while addressing such issues as data-sharing. For rapid progress to be made, however, there must be minimal bureaucratic entanglements.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Health context:
SDG3 - Health and Well-Being
Health problem:
Target 3.8 Achieve universal access to health
Database:
LILACS
Main subject:
Chronic Disease
/
Cohort Studies
/
Developing Countries
/
Life Style
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Incidence study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
Aspects:
Social determinants of health
Limits:
Humans
/
Infant, Newborn
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. j. med. biol. res
Journal subject:
Biology
/
Medicine
Year:
2007
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
/
United kingdom
Institution/Affiliation country:
Instituto Materno Infantil Prof. Fernando Figueira/BR
/
University of Bristol/GB
/
University of Glasgow/GB