Photo (left to right): Grace Walker, Geri McLeod, Martin Kennedy, Bridget Kinnersley, John Horwood, Janet Spittlehouse, Joe Boden, Bhuban Dhakal, James Foulds
The Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS) has been in existence for 40 years. During this time we have followed the health, education and life progress of a group of 1,265 children born in the Christchurch (New Zealand) urban region during mid-1977.
This cohort has now been studied from infancy into childhood, adolescence and adulthood. The data gathered over the course of the study now comprises some 50 million characters of information, with which the study has published over 480 scientific papers, reports, books and book chapters describing the 40-year life history of the Christchurch Health and Development Study cohort.
We have recently started interviewing the Christchurch Health and Development Study participants for their 40 year assessment.
Calling all participants!
As many of you know, we are currently working through our 40 year data collection. As part of this, we are also hoping to find people who did not participate in the 35 year (or earlier) interviews to see if they would like to come back into the Study.
It has been a common misconception that once you miss an assessment, you can no longer take part in the Study, but that is definitely *not* the case! So, if you know of anyone who is part of the Study and who hasn't been interviewed recently, but would perhaps like to come back, please point them in our direction (or point us in their direction).
We would love to have anyone back who would like to be a part of the Christchurch Health and Development Study again!
Funding
Health Research Council of New Zealand
News
Autumn 2018
- We get a brief mention in this advert for the Master of Science in Psychology at University of Canterbury with a cameo (uncredited) from our Assistant Research Fellow, Grace Walker!
- Geri presents on the link between oral antibiotics in infancy and later life weight problems at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting in Toronto
- Joes talks about cannabis use at 'We're talking health', Te Papa Hauora Health Precinct Christchurch and the Health Research Society of Canterbury's first ever public event. Watch him in action: Cannabis: What's the harm?
- John flies to New York to speak at the World Psychiatric Association on Epidemiology and Public Health Section Meeting about the Study's design, measurement and methods
- John is interviewed about our New Zealand Medical Journal article 'Childhood Predictors of Adult Adiposity': Study shows 'four-fold increase in obesity in one generation'
- Joe and Geri are guest lecturers at a Canterbury University Family Psychology class
Summer 2017/8
Summertime, and the living is... not particularly newsworthy, sorry.
Spring 2017
- John speaks to The Star about the impacts of the earthquakes, the history of the study, and a few of the many things we’ve learned from our participants: read all about it on page 16 of The Star 7 September 2017
Winter 2017
- Bhuban Dhakal joins the team as an Assistant Research Fellow (Biostatistics/Data Management) - welcome aboard!
- John's off to Japan to talk at the 21st International Epidemiological Association World Congress of Epidemiology about the mental health consequences of the Canterbury earthquakes and the adult mental health outcomes of sexual abuse in childhood
- Radio NZ interviews Study Director John Horwood about findings from our recent report for the Ministry of Education: Kindergarten kids earn more in later life
- Joe speaks to Stuff about Legalised cannabis: How free access could impact vulnerable Kiwis and also TVNZ 1NEWS: New poll shows Kiwis divided over whether to decriminalise cannabis
- Interviews are underway for an Assistant Research Fellow (Biostatistics/Data Management) to join the team
- The Ministry of Education publishes our report Outcome of the Early Childhood Education in the CHDS Cohort showing that the benefits of Early Childhood Education continue into adulthood
- Interviewing our cohort at 40 begins in June. Huge thank you to everyone involved - we couldn't do it without you!
Autumn 2017
- The team expands with the appointment of Assistant Research Fellow Grace Walker and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Janet Spittlehouse
- Dr Joe Boden wins a Gold Medal for Research Excellence. Nice one, Joe!
