VicGen Young Children's Health and Wellbeing
In an effort to gain a broader and more detailed understanding of the environmental, behavioural and biological predictors of early childhood caries in young Victorian children, the VicGeneration (VicGen) birth cohort was established in 2008. The cohort was originally followed from 1 month of age through to 18 months. In 2011 the project was extended to continue following this cohort from ages 3 to 5 years. This study extension allowed us to continue to follow the children through this important life stage, and will provide unique and valuable evidence to inform community-based interventions and health promotion efforts.
- Johnson S, Carpenter L, Amezdroz E, Dashper S, Gussy M, Calache H, de Silva A, Waters E. Cohort Profile: The VicGeneration (VicGen) study: An Australian oral health birth cohort. Int. J. Epidemiol. 2016; doi: 10.1093/ije/dyw024.
- Gussy M, Ashbolt R, Carpenter L, Virgo-Milton M, Calache H, Dashper S, Leong P, de Silva A, de Livera A, Simpson J, Waters E. Natural History of dental caries in very young Australian children. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry. 2015. doi: 10.1111/ipd.12169
- Amezdroz E, Carpenter L, O’Callaghan E, Johnson S, Waters E. Transition from milks to the introduction of solid foods across the first two years of life: findings from an Australian birth cohort study. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. 2015. doi: 10.1111/jhn.12313
- de Silva-Sanigorski A, Calache H, Gussy M, Dashper S, Gibson J, Waters E, The VicGeneration study - a birth cohort to examine the environmental, behavioural and biological predictors of early childhood caries: background, aims and methods, BMC Public Health, 2010, 10:97, DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-97
Data has been collected in 7 waves from when the children were born and then at 6, 12, 18, 36, 48 and 60 months of age. At each of these time-points the children receive a dental screening and a sample of their saliva is collected. Their parent's saliva was collected until the 18 month time-point and they received two dental screenings at the 6 and 48 month time-points. The parent's also filled out a comprehensive survey regarding their own and their child's oral health behaviours, feeding practices, general health, knowledge and attitude towards oral health and their family practices. A total of 466 mother-child dyads were recruited from metropolitan, regional and rural Victoria. All data collection for the 1, 6, 12, 18, 36 and 60 month time points are complete.
The VicGeneration project started in 2008 and continues into 2016. Therefore, this list includes past and present team members.
- A/Prof Lisa Gibbs, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program
- Shae Johnson, Melbourne Graduate School of Education
- Lauren Carpenter, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program
- Stuart Dashper, Melbourne Dental School
- Dr Mark Gussy, La Trobe University
- A/Prof Andrea de Silva, Dental Health Services Victoria
- Dr Bradley Christian, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program
- Dr Hanny Calache, Dental Health Services Victoria
- A/Prof Julie Simpson, Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic and Analytic Epidemiology
- Dayana Andrenacci, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program
- My-Linh Ngo, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program
- Elise O'Callaghan, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program
- Emily Amezdroz, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program
- Hannah Morrice, Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program