CHAMACOS, A Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study: Lessons from the Fields

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Abstract
In the year 2000, the US Congress passed the Children's Health Act directing the nation to conduct a national birth cohort study of environmental influences on children's health and development. In anticipation of the National Children's Study, lessons can be learned from current smaller birth cohort studies. For example, NIEHS and EPA have funded 12 Centers for Children's Environmental Health Research, a number of which are conducting longitudinal birth cohort studies to understand the environmental impact on children's health. The Center at the University of California, Berkeley, known as CHAMACOS (Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas) is a community-university partnership studying pesticide and allergen exposures to pregnant women and their children, and the potential effects of these exposures on growth, neurodevelopment, and respiratory disease. This paper describes the research activities of CHAMACOS and some lessons that have been learned, including the importance of building a strong community infrastructure. Although the challenges of collecting longitudinal data may be greatest in minority or impoverished communities, these communities are most at risk for exposure to environmental hazards and should be represented in the National Children's Study.