Rationale and study design of the Japan environment and children’s study (JECS)

BMC Public Health

Hiroshi Satoh⁸  Ayano Takeuchi⁸  Takehiro Michikawa⁸  Shoji Nakayama⁸  Yasuyuki Shibata⁸  Yuji Koresawa⁸  Susumu Yokoya⁶  Tsutomu Ogata⁶  Makiko Okuyama⁶  Haruhiko Sago⁶  Hirohisa Saito⁶  Yukihiro Ohya⁶  Reiko Kishi³  Fujio Kayama⁵  Zentaro Yamagata¹  Manabu Hasegawa⁷  Naoya Tsukamoto⁷  Eisaku Toda⁷  Katsuyuki Murata⁴  Hiroshi Nitta⁸  Toshihiro Kawamoto² 

[1] Department of Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimogato, Chuo, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan;Department of Environmental Health, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan;Hokkaido Unit Center, Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo-City, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan;Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Hondo, Akita City 010-8543, Japan;Division of Environmental Toxicology, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical School, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke-City, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan;Medical Support Center for Japan Environment and Children’s Study, National Center for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1 Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan;Environment Risk Assessment Office, Environmental Health Department, the Ministry of the Environment, 1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8975, Japan;National Center for Japan Environment and Children’s Study, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2, Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan

关键词: Pregnant women;    Environmental chemicals;    Growth and development;    Children;    Birth cohort;   

Others  :  1161358
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-14-25

 received in 2013-08-28, accepted in 2014-01-06,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

There is global concern over significant threats from a wide variety of environmental hazards to which children face. Large-scale and long-term birth cohort studies are needed for better environmental management based on sound science. The primary objective of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), a nation-wide birth cohort study that started its recruitment in January 2011, is to elucidate environmental factors that affect children’s health and development.

Methods/Design

Approximately 100,000 expecting mothers who live in designated study areas will be recruited over a 3-year period from January 2011. Participating children will be followed until they reach 13 years of age. Exposure to environmental factors will be assessed by chemical analyses of bio-specimens (blood, cord blood, urine, breast milk, and hair), household environment measurements, and computational simulations using monitoring data (e.g. ambient air quality monitoring) as well as questionnaires. JECS’ priority outcomes include reproduction/pregnancy complications, congenital anomalies, neuropsychiatric disorders, immune system disorders, and metabolic/endocrine system disorders. Genetic factors, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle factors will also be examined as covariates and potential confounders. To maximize representativeness, we adopted provider-mediated community-based recruitment.

Discussion

Through JECS, chemical substances to which children are exposed during the fetal stage or early childhood will be identified. The JECS results will be translated to better risk assessment and management to provide healthy environment for next generations.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Kawamoto et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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