Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development
The aim of the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL is to identify social and biological factors that affect lifelong health, ageing and the development of chronic disease risk.
Overview
- Acronym
- MRC NSHD
- Website
- MRC NSHD
- Investigators
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- Contacts
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General Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Start - End Year
- 1946 -
- General Information on Follow Up (profile, frequency)
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Since the birth survey in 1946, there have been 22 further ‘sweeps’ of all cohort members at ages 2 and 4 years, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15 years, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26 and 31 years, 36, 43, 53 and 60-64 years.
- Recruitment Target
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- Individuals
- Number of Participants
- 5,362
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 2,756
- Supplementary Information
-
Study members have been the prime source of data but in the early sweeps data was collected from mothers, teachers and doctors.
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
| Possible Access to Data | |
| Possible Access to Biosamples | |
| Other |
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Marker Paper
Wadsworth M, Kuh D, Richards M, Hardy R. Cohort Profile: The 1946 National Birth Cohort (MRC National Survey of Health and Development). Int J Epidemiol. 2006 Feb;35(1):49-54. Epub 2005 Oct 4.
PUBMED 16204333Supplementary Information
Also in the network HALCyon (http://www.halcyon.ac.uk/).
Kuh D, Pierce M, Adams J, Deanfield J, Ekelund U, Friberg P, Ghosh AK, Harwood N, Hughes A, Macfarlane PW, Mishra G, Pellerin D, Wong A, Stephen AM, Richards M, Hardy R; NSHD scientific and data collection team. Cohort profile: updating the cohort profile for the MRC National Survey of Health and Development: a new clinic-based data collection for ageing research. Int J Epidemiol. 2011 Feb;40(1):e1-9. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyq231. PubMed PMID: 21345808; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3043283.
The MRC National Survey of Health and Development is also known as the 1946 British Birth Cohort Study.
Funding agencies: Medical Research Council.
A bibliography of published research based on data collected by the MRC National Survey of Health and Development is provided on the NSHD website: http://www.nshd.mrc.ac.uk/findings/publications.aspx
Timeline
Populations
The participants were recruited into a maternity survey during one week in March 1946 throughout England, Wales and Scotland and then followed up 22 times since birth, most recently in 2006-11.
Selection Criteria
- Newborns
- Countries
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- United Kingdom
- Territory
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England, Wales, Scotland.
Sources of Recruitment
- General Population
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- Selected sample
- Supplementary Information
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Birth cohort.
Sample Size
- Number of Participants
- 5,362
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 2,756
- Supplementary information about number of participants
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Blood DNA at 1999 and 2006-11.
Data Collection Events
Selection Criteria
- Countries
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- United Kingdom
- Territory
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England, Wales, Scotland
Sources of Recruitment
- Specific Population
-
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Other specific population :
First offspring of the birth cohort sample.
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Other specific population :
Sample Size
- Number of Participants
- 2,205
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 0
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Data sources | Data sources - Biosamples | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | MRC NSHD - First-born offspring sub-sample - 23-28 years first-born offspring follow-up |
|
1969 | 1974 | |
| 1 | MRC NSHD - First-born offspring sub-sample - 27-33 years first-born offspring follow-up |
|
1973 | 1979 |
Selection Criteria
- Gender
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Women only
- Countries
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- United Kingdom
- Territory
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England, Wales, Scotland
Sources of Recruitment
- General Population
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- Selected sample
- Supplementary Information
-
Participants where recruited from the birth registrations during one week in March 1946.
Sample Size
- Number of Participants
- 1,734
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- 0
Data Collection Events
Participating Studies
| Acronym | Name | Study design | Countries |
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Harmonization Initiatives Included
| Acronym | Name |
|---|
Datasets
| Name | Data Collection Events | Variables |
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Areas of Information Collected
- Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
- Death
- Lifestyle and behaviours
- Physical measures and assessments
- Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
- Laboratory measures
- Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
- Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
- Diseases
- Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
- Symptoms and signs
- Preschool, school and work life
- Medication and supplements
- Social environment and relationships
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Physical environment
- Health and community care services utilization
- Administrative information
Variables Content Summary
Areas of Information Collected
Areas of Information Collected per per Population and Data Collection Event
Networks
| Acronym | Name | Harmonization Initiatives | Individual Studies |
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