Dataset Information

Towards a Swiss health study with human biomonitoring: Learnings from the pilot phase about participation and design.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A large-scale national cohort aiming at investigating the health status and determinants in the general population is essential for high-quality public health research and regulatory decision-making. We present the protocol and first results of the pilot phase to a Swiss national cohort aiming at establishing the study procedures, evaluating feasibility, and assessing participation and willingness to participate.

Methods

The pilot phase 2020/21 included 3 components recruited via different channels: a population-based cross-sectional study targeting the adult population (20-69 years) of the Vaud and Bern cantons via personal invitation, a sub-study on selenium in a convenience sample of vegans and vegetarians via non-personal invitation in vegan/vegetarian networks, and a self-selected sample via news promotion (restricted protocol). Along with a participatory approach and participation, we tested the study procedures including online questionnaires, onsite health examination, food intake, physical activity assessments and biosample collection following high-quality standards.

Results

The population-based study and the selenium sub-study had 638 (participation rate: 14%) and 109 participants, respectively, both with an over-representation of women. Of altogether 1349 recruited participants over 90% expressed interest in participating to a national health study, over 75% to contribute to medicine progress and help improving others' health, whereas about one third expressed concerns over data protection and data misuse.

Conclusions

Publicly accessible high-quality public health data and human biomonitoring samples were collected. There is high interest of the general population in taking part in a national cohort on health. Challenges reside in achieving a higher participation rate and external validity. For project management clear governance is key.

SUBMITTER: Morand Bourqui R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10389725 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Towards a Swiss health study with human biomonitoring: Learnings from the pilot phase about participation and design.

Morand Bourqui Réjane R Nusslé Semira Gonseth SG von Goetz Natalie N Veys-Takeuchi Caroline C Zuppinger Claire C Boulez Yoanne Y Bühler Nolwenn N Chapatte Laurence L Currat Christine C Dousse Aline A Faivre Vincent V Franco Oscar H OH Virzi Julien J Bourqui-Pittet Martine M Bochud Murielle M

PloS one 20230731 7

<h4>Background</h4>A large-scale national cohort aiming at investigating the health status and determinants in the general population is essential for high-quality public health research and regulatory decision-making. We present the protocol and first results of the pilot phase to a Swiss national cohort aiming at establishing the study procedures, evaluating feasibility, and assessing participation and willingness to participate.<h4>Methods</h4>The pilot phase 2020/21 included 3 components rec ...[more]

PMID: 37523374

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Dataset Information

Towards a Swiss health study with human biomonitoring: Learnings from the pilot phase about participation and design.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Towards a Swiss health study with human biomonitoring: Learnings from the pilot phase about participation and design.

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