title: Birth cohort study on the effects of desert dust exposure on children's health: protocol of an adjunct study of the Japan Environment & Children's Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Desert dust is estimated to constitute about 35% of aerosol in the troposphere. Desertification, climatic variability and global warming all can contribute to increased dust formation. This study aims to examine possible health effects of desert dust exposure on pregnant women and their children. The purpose of this report was to present the study protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  This 4-year birth cohort study began in 2011 as an adjunct study of the Japan Environment & Children's Study (JECS) involving three regions: Kyoto, Toyama and Tottori. The JECS participants of the three regions above who also agreed to participate in this adjunct study were enrolled prior to delivery. Light Detecting and Ranging (LIDAR) with a polarisation analyser, which can distinguish mineral dust particles from other particles, is used for exposure measurements. Outcomes are allergic symptoms for mothers and development of asthma and other allergic or respiratory diseases for their children. Data are acquired in a timely manner by connecting local LIDAR equipment to an online questionnaire system. Participants answer the online questionnaire using mobile phones or personal computers.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The study protocol was approved by the ethics committees of Kyoto University, University of Toyama and Tottori University. All participants provided written informed consent. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated to the scientific community and general public.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  UMIN000010826.
authors: Department of Health Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine and Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Kumiko T
authors: KT
authors: Kanatani
authors: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors: Yuichi
authors: Y
authors: Adachi
authors: National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors: Nobuo
authors: N
authors: Sugimoto
authors: Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Medicine and Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Medicine and Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Hisashi
authors: H
authors: Noma
authors: Department of Public Health, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan.
authors: Kazunari
authors: K
authors: Onishi
authors: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors: Kei
authors: K
authors: Hamazaki
authors: Department of Health Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine and Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Yoshimitsu
authors: Y
authors: Takahashi
authors: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Isao
authors: I
authors: Ito
authors: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Miho
authors: M
authors: Egawa
authors: Kyoto Unit Center for Japan Environment & Children's Study, Kyoto University, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Sato
authors: Kyoto Unit Center for Japan Environment & Children's Study, Kyoto University, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Tohshin
authors: T
authors: Go
authors: Department of Public Health, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan.
authors: Youichi
authors: Y
authors: Kurozawa
authors: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors: Hidekuni
authors: H
authors: Inadera
authors: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Ikuo
authors: I
authors: Konishi
authors: Department of Health Informatics, Graduate School of Medicine and Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Takeo
authors: T
authors: Nakayama
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003889:Desert Climate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004391:Dust; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D011247:Pregnancy; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004391:Dust
keywords: Epidemiology; Immunology; Public Health