Adolescence - Recruitment

Home > Studies > Top End Cohort > Adolescence - Recruitment

2007 - 2009 Adolescence - Recruitment

Adolescence is an important developmental life stage where there is increased concerns about health, particularly mental health. However, young people have limited engagement with health services and health information remains sparse. Following the third wave of the ABC study, a complimentary non-Indigenous cohort was recruited to the Life Course Program. Participants who were eligible for this study were Darwin residents aged between 16 to 20 who were born in Darwin between 1987-1991 to a mother who was non-Indigenous. 

Between 2007 and 2009, 196 non-Indigenous adolescents were recruited to the Top End Cohort (TEC) study. Recruitment occurred through many avenues including secondary and tertiary schools, sports clubs, work, media publicity and by word of mouth. 

Those recruited underwent the same comprehensive health assessment as the ABC study participants, minus the dental component. 

People

Dr Gurmeet Singh, Belinda Davison, Jennifer Goodall and Kalinda Griffiths made up the core research team. 

Data collected

Detailed data on personal demographic characteristics, body size and composition was collected. Additionally , cardiac health, renal function and metabolic health was assessed by ultrasounds of kidney and carotid, blood pressure and various blood and urine biomarkers. Emotional wellbeing and lifestyle questionnaires were also completed.

Findings

169 people aged 16-20 (mean age18 yrs) were seen.

Most people were in a healthy weight for height range.

The low prevalence of chronic disease markers in adolescence suggests that there is still a window of opportunity beyond childhood to target interventions aimed at reducing the high burden of chronic disease. 

Sub-studies

 

Through external collaborations, it also saw the addition of two sub-studies examining iodine and hepatitis B. 

Due to financial and logistic constraints, the National Iodine Nutritional Survey did not include the Northern Territory. This cohort provided an opportunity to assess the iodine levels of non-Indigenous people in the Northern Territory prior to the implementation of a national approach of mandatory fortification of iodized salt in bread.

 

People involved in this study

Kalinda Griffiths
Researcher
Professor Gurmeet Singh
Senior Research Fellow and Director of Life Course Program
Jennifer Goodall
Project Officer

Related publications

Year Study Citation View
2009
Aboriginal Birth Cohort

Sayers S Singh G, Mackerras D, Gunthorpe W, Jamieson L, Davison B, Schutz K, Fitz J. Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort Study: follow-up processes at 20 years. BiomedCentral International Health and Human Rights 2009; 9:23

PDF icon PDF (313.98 KB)
2011
Aboriginal Birth Cohort

Mackerras DE, Singh GR, Eastman CJ. Iodine status of Aboriginal teenagers in the Darwin region before mandatory iodine fortification of bread. Med J Aust. 2011 Feb 7;194(3):126-30.

PDF icon PDF (268.99 KB)
2018
Aboriginal Birth Cohort

Davison, B. , Goodall, J. , Whalan, S. , Montgomery‐Quin, K. , Howarth, T. and Singh, G. (2019), Nutritional dual burden in Indigenous young adults: The geographical differential. Aust. J. Rural Health. doi:10.1111/ajr.12439
 

PDF icon PDF (370.09 KB)

Related news

Post date: May 27, 2020

Check out the first Life Course Studies newsletters for the year, where you will read the latest

Post date: April 12, 2013

Sue also receieved the Menzies Medallion as a recognition for her remarkable contribution to heal

Post date: July 02, 2011

ABC news relayed our findings about iodine deficiency across the Top End.