Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

The Siberian Birth Outcomes Study  (SIBOS)

Outline
Background. There are still no computerized databases (DBs) and official medical registries of births in Siberia, a huge territory with the severe continental climate. This makes it difficult to perform epidemiological studies. Meanwhile, because Russia is currently in social and economic transition, Siberia is experiencing important demographic changes including falling birth rate, rise in infant and perinatal mortality, and higher frequencies of congenital malformations and spontaneous abortions. Climactic changes related to global warming will likely have important effects on northern environments and may also influence birth demography through changes temperature, ultraviolet exposure and/or other factors. Objectives: (1) to create a DB of births which will allow epidemiological study of a variety of pregnancy outcomes in relation to month and season of birth, latitude and climate/climate change, known areas and risks for environmental toxicants and other potential reproductive hazards, duration of exposure to potential demographic risks, ethnicity (including aboriginal peoples), and exposure to known reproductive toxicants such as alcohol and tobacco; (2) to determine Siberia-specific risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes; (3) to test hypotheses of early influences at the time of conception and birth on subsequent health indices (imprinting and SPrOO-hypotheses); and (4) to compare the Siberian data with those of Norway and North Canada. Setting: highly industrialised Siberian cities of oil mining and metallurgical industry, Norilsk (69.5 °N, high degree of anthropogenic pollution), Surgut (61.5 °N,) and Novosibirsk (54.5 °N). Design: a case-control retrospective and follow up study. Methods. Retrospective approach. We will begin by collecting data from medical documents having been completed by obstetric units and delivery hospitals for each pregnant woman, and placing them in the DB to be designed for this research. The data on current cases of pregnancies and births will be obtained from medical records being completed and questionnaires in the cities of interest. A 1 year follow up for infants, born after 1 January, 2007, will be carried out by using returning questionnaire and/or telephone interview. Output measures: estimated date of conception, obstetric and birth complications, duration of pregnancy, birth weight, alcohol and tobacco use, parental health and occupational data including potential environmental risks from work and consumption of possibly contaminated foods or water, and infant health characteristics during the first year of life. Additionally, we will link the data from the DB to data on known environmental hazards within the index communities, meteorological data around the estimated day of conception and on the day of birth (temperatures, winds, humidity, etc.).

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
We will improve understanding of environmental and social risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes and infant morbidity/mortality (Theme 6). We will further devise a methodological basis and a tested procedure for creation of an official regional database of births and twins (Theme 4). Changes in climate in Northern Siberia may lead to effects on birth cohorts that can only be detected through database analysis (Theme 2). These changes may be important to the many people now residing in circumpolar areas, but they may also serve as indicators of change that may subsequently affect those in currently more temperate climates (Theme 5).

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
1. Norwegian Inst. Publ. Health, Division of Epidemiology (“Norwegian Birth Cohort Study”. Contact person – A. Grjibovski). 2. Hospital Sainte Justine in Montreal, Canada (CIHR-funded project “Community Characteristics and Birth Outcomes among Canadian Aboriginal Women”, Dr. Zh.-Ch. Luo.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
No field work is expected

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Not required

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The created DB of births will provide a basis for constructing an official region(city)-wide registry of births and twin registry in Siberia as well as for further long-term follow up cohort study.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own support

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes - The project is “endorsed” at the Siberian level by the Interregional Association “Siberian Agreement” combining 10 regions of Western Siberia

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Yes

How will the project be organised and managed?
Two registrars in each three cities will derive data on births from medical records for both retrospective (2006–2003) and current (2007–2008) cases entering the information into the computer DB until the total number of cases reaches 1000 in Norilsk and Surgut and 2000 in Novosibirsk. Secondly, for the current births the information will be obtained via questionnaires and personal interviews with mothers about the positions that are absent in medical documentation. Thirdly, mothers will be asked to fill in and to send by post questionnaires about the infant’s health indices up to their one year of age. Every month the filled e-tables will be sent to the Centre for Accumulation and Analysis (CAA) in Novosibirsk.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Since the DB will include private delicate information, we aren’t able to share it with other international data management structures participating in IPY. However, we hope to incorporate other’s data into our project and plan to develop links with WCRP providing data on climate parameters.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
A small funding of 30 thousand rubles is available from the Novosibirsk city Health Care Administration. Additionally, we expect to obtain “in-kind” funding from various institutions that will contribute clerical or researcher time in this activity.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
“I approve the SIBOS project and intend to collaborate with the Siberian team.” – Dr. Zh.-Ch. Luo, Hospital Sante Justine, Montreal, Canada. “Division of Epidemiology of the Norwegian Inst. of Public Health is interested in cooperation within the framework of the SIBOS project. Our contribution will be in a form of academic cooperation unless further specific interests from both sides appear." – Dr. A.Grjibovski

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Ph.D., Associate Professor Vladimir Melnikov
Centre for Clin. & Exper. Med., Sib. Branch, Russian Acad. Med. Sci.
P. O. Box 175, Novosibirsk
630060
Russia

Tel: +7-383-333 51 51
Mobile: no
Fax: +7-383-330 38 11
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation