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Why carry out a longitudinal birth survey?
Author(s) -
Golding Jean,
Jones Richard,
Bruné MarieNoël,
Pronczuk Jenny
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
paediatric and perinatal epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.667
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3016
pISSN - 0269-5022
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2008.01009.x
Subject(s) - medicine , environmental health , public health , pregnancy , mental health , cohort study , climate change , cohort , psychiatry , ecology , pathology , biology , genetics , nursing
In spite of technological progress throughout the world, ill health, both physical and mental, is widespread – but much of this is preventable. With rapid globalisation, populations in both industrialised and developing countries are being exposed to various stresses and to new environmental factors, such as those related to climate change and to an increasing range of chemicals of unknown effect. There is substantial evidence that exposures to environmental risk factors in pregnancy and childhood have a major influence on health and development even into adulthood and future generations. In this paper we discuss the importance of longitudinal studies in identifying the processes underlying health and developmental problems and thus, by using the strengths of birth cohort studies, identifying preventative and other strategies which will protect public health from adverse environmental influences.