title: Longitudinal Intergenerational Birth Cohort Designs: A Systematic Review of Australian and New Zealand Studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The longitudinal birth cohort design has yielded a substantial contribution to knowledge of child health and development. The last full review in New Zealand and Australia in 2004 identified 13 studies. Since then, birth cohort designs continue to be an important tool in understanding how intrauterine, infant and childhood development affect long-term health and well-being. This updated review in a defined geographical area was conducted to better understand the factors associated with successful quality and productivity, and greater scientific and policy contribution and scope.
  
  
  METHODS
  We adopted the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) approach, searching PubMed, Scopus, Cinahl, Medline, Science Direct and ProQuest between 1963 and 2013. Experts were consulted regarding further studies. Five inclusion criteria were used: (1) have longitudinally tracked a birth cohort, (2) have collected data on the child and at least one parent or caregiver (3) be based in Australia or New Zealand, (4) be empirical in design, and (5) have been published in English.
  
  
  RESULTS
  10665 records were initially retrieved from which 23 birth cohort studies met the selection criteria. Together these studies recruited 91,196 participants, with 38,600 mothers, 14,206 fathers and 38,390 live births. Seventeen studies were located in Australia and six in New Zealand. Research questions initially focused on the perinatal period, but as studies matured, longer-term effects and outcomes were examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review demonstrates the significant yield from this effort both in terms of scientific discovery and social policy impact. Further opportunities have been recognised with cross-study collaboration and pooling of data between established and newer studies and international studies to investigate global health determinants.
authors.affiliation: Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.|School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.affiliation: School of Women's and Children's Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Angelique
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riepsamen
authors.affiliation: Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.|Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Monash University, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Services, Eastern Health Clinical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.|St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Victoria M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Flood
authors.affiliation: Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.|School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caputi
authors.affiliation: Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.|Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, NSW Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, NSW Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Warren S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.|Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Theresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Larkin
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Moira J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.affiliation: Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.|School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Brin F S
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Grenyer
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D035843:Biomedical Research; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009520:New Zealand; D036801:Parturition; D012042:Registries