Pacific Islands Families: First Two Years of Life Study--design and methodology.
OBJECTIVE
Knowledge about the health, psychosocial, and behavioural characteristics of Pacific peoples with young children resident in New Zealand is limited. The Pacific Islands Families: First Two Years of Life (PIF) Study was designed to redress this knowledge gap. This paper describes the design and methodology of the PIF Study.


METHODS
Mothers of Pacific infants born at Middlemore Hospital between 15 March and 17 December 2000 were recruited. Maternal home interviews covering sociodemographic, cultural, environmental, child development, family and household dynamics, childcare, lifestyle, and health issues were undertaken at approximately 6-weeks, 12-months, and 24-months postpartum. Paternal home interviews and child development assessments were conducted at approximately 12-months and 24-months postpartum. Information from Middlemore's Hospital Discharge Summary records and Plunket's 6-week and 6-month assessments was also captured.


RESULTS
1708 mothers were identified, 1657 were invited to participate, 1590 (96%) consented to a home visit; and, of these, 1,477 (93%) were eligible for the PIF study. Of those eligible, 1,376 (93%) participated at 6-weeks, 1224 (83%) participated at 12-months, and 1144 (77%) participated at 24-months. No important differential attrition was observed. Paternal interviews and child assessments were conducted on 825 fathers and 1241 infants at 12-months and on 757 fathers and 1064 children at 24-months.


CONCLUSIONS
The PIF study is a large, scientifically and culturally robust longitudinal study that has achieved respectable participation rates in a historically hard-to-reach population. We believe that results from this study will inform future policy development within New Zealand.
Paterson
Janis
J
Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Auckland.
Tukuitonga
Colin
C
Abbott
Max
M
Feehan
Michael
M
Silva
Phil
P
Percival
Teuila
T
Carter
Sarnia
S
Cowley-Malcolm
Esther
E
Borrows
Jim
J
Williams
Maynard
M
Schluter
Philip
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology*; D005220:Fathers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors