Suchergebnisse

IntroductionWorldwide large cohort studies have invested in community engagement to promote studies and aidrecruitment. HealthWise Wales, a national population study, aims to create a register of 'researchready' participants and provide long-term follow up data on health behaviours, outcomes andwider social and environmental determinants. Public involvement and engagement was key to thedevelopment of HealthWise Wales. We describe how a model for promoting HealthWise Wales wasco-produced with members of the public.
MethodsMembers of the public were invited to take part in a workshop, either in North or South Wales,to discuss public involvement in long-term cohort studies. Information on community engagement,projects that had used the concept of "citizen scientists" to promote involvement, and other largelongitudinal studies was provided to 15 members of the public prior to the meeting. Eight ofthese attended the workshops, to explore the concept of citizen scientist and how it may relateto HealthWise Wales.
ResultsData from two workshops was used to draft a protocol for involvement that was reviewed and refinedby members of the public. The protocol describes two levels of public involvement, HealthWise WalesChampion or Supporter. The Champion is a more formal role that requires promoting the projectat public events, whereas Supporters pledge to promote the study to friends and family. Trainingwas provided to 17 of the 26 members of the public who had expressed interest in becoming HWWChampions. Twelve trained Champions attended 41 events to promote the study and collect 'consentto contact' forms from members of the public.
Conclusions
It is possible to develop a model of community engagement with members of the public to promoteand raise awareness of a national population study in Wales. It is essential that adequate resourceis provided to support the concept.

A woman's risk of dying is altered during pregnancy and immediately postpartum. Moreover, physiological and social changes associated with pregnancy may have long‐term effects on mortality. Comparing these long‐term associations among women and their husbands may provide insights into the nature of such a relationship. In this cohort study, we examine the association between reproductive history and all‐cause mortality among ever‐married women and men after age 45 in Matlab, Bangladesh, using data collected between 1982 and 1998 for a unique demographic surveillance system. No association was found between parity and mortality among women, but a small decrease in men's mortality was found to be associated with their wives' parity. Survival for both sexes was greatly enhanced by an increasing number of surviving children, regardless of parity or other social factors. A "healthy pregnant woman effect" coupled with the social and economic advantages of having surviving children may explain the observed effects.