Table 2 Cohorts’ recruitment and EPICE/SHIPS study waves in Portugal, Italy and Denmark: strategies of implementation and participation

Cohort recruitment

Birth/baseline 2011/12

F-to-f by neonatologists of the units where the babies were born/being cared, at the hospital unit.

1. data abstracted from medical records

Participation: 544^a/607 d.a. (90%)

(n = 879 live & still births)

F-to-f by neonatologists of the units where the babies were born/being cared,

at the hospital unit.

1. data abstracted from medical records

Participation:

975 /975 d.a.

(100%)

(n = 1326 live &

F-to-f by neonatologists of the units where the babies were born/being cared, at the hospital unit.

1. data abstracted from medical records

still births)

F-up at 1 yr ca

2012/13

1. parental questionnaire by phone.

Participation:

(84%)

(did not take place)

(did not take place)

F-up at 2 yrs.

ca

2013/14

1. parental questionnaire sent out by post (and to be returned by post).

Participation: (75%)

1. parental structured questionnaire sent out by post and/or email (and to be returned by post or email) or admin. by phone, if necessary.

Participation:

(75%)

1. parental structured questionnaire sent out by post (and to be returned by post).

Participation: (63%)

F-up at 3 yrs.

2014/15

1. parental questionnaire by phone.

2. parental questionnaire (3d’ food diary + CBCL) sent out by post (and to be returned by post).

Participation:

(87%)

(did not take place)

(did not take place)

F-up at 4 yrs.

2015/2016

1. parental structured questionnaire by phone.

Participation: (83%)

(did not take place)

(did not take place)

F-up at 5 yrs.

2016/17

1. structured questionnaire by parents (on site, while children were being

tested).

Participation: 435/533 (82%)

1. parental structured questionnaire sent out by post and/or email (and to be returned by post or email) or admin. by phone, if necessary.

Participation: 692/975 (71%)

1. parental structured questionnaire sent out by post (and to be returned by post).

2. neurodevelopmental assessment by a team of psychologists and nurses at alternative locations (results sent to parents or to referred paediatrician according to parents’ preference).

Participation: (82%) (EPT n = 113)

2. neurodevelopmental assessment of the sub-sample extremely preterm (EPT) by a team of psychologists at alternative locations (results handed over to parents).

Participation: 135/223 EPT (60.5%)

2. neurodevelopmental assessment ofthe sub-sample extremely preterm (EPT) by a team of physiotherapists and psychologists at alternative locations (results handed over to parents).

3. F-to-f in-depth semi-structured interviews to a sample of 10–15 parents of the sub-set EPT that completed the questionnaire, at alternative locations.

Participation: n = 12

3. F-to-f in-depth semi-structured interviews to a sample of 10–15 parents of the sub-set EPT that completed the questionnaire, at alternative locations.

Participation:

n = 14

(did not take place)

Source: