The Liverpool Respiratory Birth Cohort Study: questionnaire development, recruitment and preliminary results


Griffith, Bethan E The Liverpool Respiratory Birth Cohort Study: questionnaire development, recruitment and preliminary results. Master of Philosophy thesis, University of Liverpool.

[img] PDF
GriffithBet_Aug2013_16553.pdf - Author Accepted Manuscript
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution No Derivatives.
Download (15MB)

Abstract

Background:The Liverpool Respiratory Birth Cohort study (LRBCS) is a prospective, longitudinal population based birth cohort study of respiratory symptoms in preschool children domiciled within Liverpool postcodes L1-L38 at the time of birth. Researchers personally recruit new mothers to the study during their stay at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. The study uses either an online or paper version of the parent-completed Liverpool Respiratory Symptom Questionnaire (LRSQ) to investigate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, such as coughs, colds and wheezing alongside an exposures and demographics questionnaire. Aims and Objectives: To further develop the concept of the LRBCS; to finalise the content and design of questionnaires and research materials for the study, as well as test the feasibility of conducting the study online. A further aim was to identify the most effective recruitment strategy for the study and then to proceed recruiting mothers to the LRBCS. The final objective was to conduct preliminary analyses of results from the initial questionnaire. Methods: Research students performed two feasibility studies and developed the appearance and content of questionnaires with input from mothers. Expression of interest were obtained from eligible mothers staying onon the postnatal wards at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. Mothers provided full consent and fully enrolled their child when he or she was aged four months. Questionnaires were distributed by automated emails or by post. Returned questionnaires were analysed by descriptive statistical methods. The in internal validity of the LRSQ was assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficients to assess internal validity. Results: 1685 expressions of interest were received from eligible mothers between January and June 2014. 177 questionnaires were returned to the research team. There was a 25% participation rate (33% online and 7% postal). Preliminary analysis demonstrated some differences between participants and the general Liverpool population; mothers who respond were older, more educated, more likely to breastfeed and less likely to smoke cigarettes. Children exposed to household cigarette smoke had significantly higher LRSQ scores than those who were not exposed, which indicated that these children have a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms. Seven out of the eight domains of the LRSQ had acceptable-excellent internal validity.

Item Type: Thesis (Master of Philosophy)
Additional Information: Date: 2013-08 (completed)
Uncontrolled Keywords: birth, cohort, liverpool, preschool, questionnaire, respiratory, symptoms
Subjects: ?? RJ ??
Divisions: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 07 Aug 2014 08:54
Last Modified: 16 Dec 2022 04:41
DOI: 10.17638/00016553
Supervisors:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/16553
Dimensions
Altmetric
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)