Kaushalya Jayaweera
Protocol for establishing a child and adolescent twin register for mental health research and capacity building in Sri Lanka and other low and middle-income countries in South Asia
Jayaweera, Kaushalya; M Craig, Jeffrey; M S Zavos, Helena; Abeysinghe, Nihal; De Alwis, Sunil; Andras, Alina; Dissanayake, Lasith; Dziedzic, Krysia; Fernando, Buddhika; Glozier, Nick; Hewamalage, Asiri; Ives, Jonathan; Jordan, Kelvin P; Kodituwakku, Godwin; Mallen, Christian; Rahman, Omar; Zafar, Shamsa; Saxena, Alka; Rijsdijk, Fruhling; Saffery, Richard; Simonoff, Emily; Yusuf, Rita; Sumathipala, Athula
Authors
Jeffrey M Craig
Helena M S Zavos
Nihal Abeysinghe
Sunil De Alwis
Alina Andras
Lasith Dissanayake
Professor Krysia Dziedzic k.s.dziedzic@keele.ac.uk
Buddhika Fernando
Nick Glozier
Asiri Hewamalage
Jonathan Ives
Kelvin Jordan k.p.jordan@keele.ac.uk
Godwin Kodituwakku
Christian Mallen c.d.mallen@keele.ac.uk
Omar Rahman
Shamsa Zafar
Alka Saxena
Fruhling Rijsdijk
Richard Saffery
Emily Simonoff
Rita Yusuf
Athula Sumathipala
Contributors
Aasim Ahmad
Research Group
Achala Jayathilake
Research Group
Ajith Nagahawatte
Research Group
Anant Bhan
Research Group
Chandima Wickramatilake
Research Group
Gominda Ponnamperuma
Research Group
Lavan Selvarathnam
Research Group
Preethi Udagama
Research Group
Sorcha Uí Chonnachtaigh
Research Group
Steven Blackburn
Research Group
Dr Thomas Shepherd t.a.shepherd1@keele.ac.uk
Research Group
Toby Helliwell t.helliwell@keele.ac.uk
Research Group
Sudath Samaraweera
Research Group
Thamasi Makuloluwa
Research Group
Yatan Balhara
Research Group
Ruwini Cooray
Research Group
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, 10%-20% of children and adolescents experience mental health conditions. However, most such disorders remain undiagnosed until adolescence or adulthood. Little is known about the factors that influence mental health in children and adolescents, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), where environmental threats, such as poverty and war, may affect optimal neurodevelopment. Cohort studies provide important information on risks and resilience across the life course by enabling tracking of the effects of early life environment on health during childhood and beyond. Large birth cohort studies, including twin cohorts that can be aetiologically informative, have been conducted within high-income countries but are not generalisable to LMIC. There are limited longitudinal birth cohort studies in LMIC.
METHODS: We sought to enhance the volume of impactful research in Sri Lanka by establishing a Centre of Excellence for cohort studies. The aim is to establish a register of infant, child and adolescent twins, including mothers pregnant with twins, starting in the districts of Colombo (Western Province) and Vavuniya (Northern Province). We will gain consent from twins or parents for future research projects. This register will provide the platform to investigate the aetiology of mental illness and the impact of challenges to early brain development on future mental health. Using this register, we will be able to conduct research that will (1) expand existing research capacity on child and adolescent mental health and twin methods; (2) further consolidate existing partnerships and (3) establish new collaborations. The initiative is underpinned by three pillars: high-quality research, ethics, and patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE).
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Review Committee of Sri Lanka Medical Association and Keele University's Ethical Review Panel. In addition to journal publications, a range of PPIE activities have been conducted.
We would like to acknowledge the other members of the SEARCH Group.
Citation
Jayaweera, K., M Craig, J., M S Zavos, H., Abeysinghe, N., De Alwis, S., Andras, A., …Sumathipala, A. (2019). Protocol for establishing a child and adolescent twin register for mental health research and capacity building in Sri Lanka and other low and middle-income countries in South Asia. BMJ Open, 9(10), Article e029332. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029332
Journal Article Type | Article |
---|---|
Acceptance Date | Sep 5, 2019 |
Publication Date | Oct 16, 2019 |
Publicly Available Date | May 26, 2023 |
Journal | BMJ Open |
Publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 9 |
Issue | 10 |
Article Number | e029332 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029332 |
Keywords | Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC), South Asia, Sri Lanka, cohort, infant child and adolescents, mental health, twins |
Publisher URL | http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029332 |
Files
e029332.full.pdf
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PDF
Publisher Licence URL
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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