Generation Scotland participant survey on data collection

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Generation Scotland (GS) is a population and family-based cohort study investigating genetic and environmental health determinants.
• Recruitment for the Scottish Family Health Study component occurred between 2006-2011, including participants aged 18+ who consented to genetic studies, health record linkage, and recontact.
• Previous recontact exercises successfully recruited participants for partner studies and collected additional data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey participant attitudes towards novel data collection and recruitment strategies.
• To assess the feasibility of implementing new approaches as the cohort ages.

Main Methods:

• A ten-question online survey was distributed to Generation Scotland participants with provided email addresses.
• The survey focused on attitudes towards encouraging family member participation, remote data/sample collection, and access to stored newborn dried blood spots.

Main Results:

• A high proportion of participants responded positively to encouraging relatives to participate in research.
• Participants showed strong support for remote data and sample collection methods.
• There was significant interest in allowing research access to stored newborn dried blood spots.

Conclusions:

• The majority of current and prospective Generation Scotland participants are receptive to future requests for remote data and sample collection.
• These findings suggest a positive outlook for adapting data collection strategies within the cohort.