Engaging adolescents and young adults in a longitudinal health study: experience from the Top End cohort

Abstract

despite this being a strategic priority area) highlight a dilemma for public health research in this area.Obesity intervention research, even when identified as a priority, appears to remain a poor cousin to other obesity research, although without the denominator for 'obesity-related research' this is hard to clarify. It is unclear how and if the review process differs for grants identified under strategic priority areas. For example, does the identification of strategic research areas provide an opportunity to positively discriminate nominated areas or does it merely seek to attract additional proposals in such areas?These data further highlight the need for granting bodies and researchers to develop a closer relationship so that researchers are better able to understand the processes underlying the system. By working more closely it may be possible to achieve the overall aim of both granting bodies and researchers, to promote the development of a strong evidence base to improve the health and wellbeing of the population. While young people are generally healthy, the silent progression towards chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease may have already begun in adolescence. Adolescence is often the stage of life when experimentation with health damaging activities such as smoking, alcohol and drug use begins and habits formed at this age often become entrenched.1 Despite increasing recognition of the importance of this phase of life, 2 there continues to be a paucity of information on the health of this age group.Described here is the successful engagement and recruitment of young people in a longitudinal health study. The Top End Cohort Study (n=195) was established to ascertain the current health status of a cohort of young people and to follow them through their life span. Participation was voluntary and eligibility was based on being born between 1987 and 1991 in the Darwin area and currently residing there. Darwin is home to people from many countries, allowing the recruitment of people from diverse cultural heritage. As there is a well-established study of Aboriginal people of the same age based in the Top End, the Aboriginal Birth Cohort Study, 3 inclusion was limited to people born to non-Aboriginal mothers. Recruitment commenced in November 2007 and continued till September 2009.Studies have found that young people dislike using health services because they think they will be embarrassing, lack confidentiality, and that health staff do not understand their needs and therefore the services provided are irrelevant. 4 Previous research has highlighted specific barriers to engaging young people in health services such as cost, time and confidence in service providers.5 Strategies were incorporated both in the recruitment phase and in the delivery of health check in an effort to overcome these barriers.The participants aged 16-21 years underwent a comprehensive health assessment which consisted of a wide range of procedures from anthropometrics, to ultrasounds of kidney, carotid and thyro...

Prevalence and validity of self-reported smoking in Indigenous and non-Indigenous young adults in the Australian Northern Territory

“…The TEC is a study of 195 non-Indigenous adolescents, age- and sex-matched to the ABC study participants, born in Darwin between 1987 and 1991 (contemporaneous interval with the ABC) and still residing in non-remote locations within the Top End at the time of recruitment [24]. The numbers of non-Indigenous people in remote areas of the NT are very few and this is largely a transient population.…”

“…In this study we used data and samples from two cohorts, the Indigenous Aboriginal Birth Cohort (ABC) [22, 23] and the non-Indigenous Top End Cohort (TEC) [24] with two aims; i) to assess smoking prevalence from self-report questionnaire data and, ii) to assess validity of self-reported smoking, using urinary measures of cotinine. Both cohorts are based in the Australian Northern Territory (NT).…”

Iodine status of Indigenous and non‐Indigenous young adults in the Top End, before and after mandatory fortification

“…The Life Course Program based in Darwin includes two complementary prospective cohorts: the Aboriginal Birth Cohort (ABC) and the non‐Indigenous Top End Cohort (TEC). The recruitment of the two cohorts has been described previously . Briefly, the ABC consists of 686 people recruited at birth, born to Indigenous Australian mothers at the Royal Darwin Hospital between January 1987 and March 1990 .…”

“…This group was followed up during 2006–2007 and 2013–15 . The TEC comprises 196 non‐Indigenous people recruited and assessed during November 2007 – September 2009 . Eligibility criteria were birth during 1987–1991 (ie, age‐matched with the ABC) in Darwin to a non‐Indigenous mother and residing in Darwin at the time of recruitment.…”

Computerised emotional well-being and substance use questionnaires in young Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian adults

“…TEC participants were matched to participants of the ABC study according to age and birth location. 20 Cross-sectional data obtained between September 2013 and June 2015, when Life Course Program participants were aged 21-28 years, are presented. As in previous follow-ups, participants were invited to have a comprehensive health check involving various physical (anthropometric, cardiovascular, respiratory and renal) and emotional (lifestyle, cognitive and emotional well-being) components.…”