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Challenges and opportunities identified in the Croatian Islands' Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) pilot

The CRoatian Islands Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) was the first Croatian birth cohort study and the first birth cohort study ever conducted in Southeastern Europe, designed to prospectively follow a sample of 500 pregnant women and their children up to two years of age. The aim was to assess the prevalence of risk factors (biological, environmental and behavioural) for the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and other NCDs, in two Croatian islands (islands Hvar and Brač) and one mainland subpopulation (city of Split). Although birth cohorts and life course designs offer a wealth of opportunities, their implementation is uniquely challenging. Being the first birth cohort in Croatia, CRIBS faced certain methodological, logistical, and sociocultural challenges – including small sample size, incomplete data, problems with participant retention and lack of logistic support on the national level. The presentation will discuss such methodological shortcomings and highlight efforts of the CRIBS researchers to address them. Although limited in sample size, the sucess of the study lies in the wealth of collected data generating a great potential for cross-cohort collaborations and inclusion into larger consortia. However, this would not be possible without a personal contact with the participants, making it a challenge and opportunity at the same time.

CRIBS, Croatia, birth cohort, opportunities, challenges

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