The main objective of the ELSPAC study is to determine which biological, psychological, social, economic, and environmental factors have an impact on pregnancy, birth, adaptation after birth, child development, health of children and adolescents.

The following main factors have been followed so far, based on 74 questionnaires and 6 clinical examinations:

Biological factors:

• Overall health of the child
• Overall health of his parents and grandparents
• Progress of pregnancy and birth
• Psychomotor development of the infant

Health care factors:

• Vaccinations and other preventive measures

Psychological factors:

• Overal psychological condition of the child
• Overal psychological condition of his parents
• Risk behaviour in both generations

Social and economic factors:

• Type of housing, including household equipment
• Education and career
• Family lifestyle, including their diet

Environmental factors:

• Use of chemicals in the household
• Pets
• Quality of family environment (noise, dust, humidity, temperature)

How?

Data for the ELSPAC study was collected through questionnaires (Fig. 1), during direct examinations in the ELSPAC outpatient department, and from cooperating centres at the Masaryk University in Brno. Questionnaires were filled at 13 consecutive time points.

The ELSPAC Executive Board was established in February 2013 based on Measure No. 2/2013 issued by the Director of the Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX). The ELSPAC Executive Board is responsible for the study design, coordinates the implementation team, assesses suggestions for mining and using data from the study, and protects the rights of study participants and of the Masaryk University.

Chair of the ELSPAC Executive Board

• Prof. Jana Klánová, Ph.D., Director of RECETOX at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University

Members of the ELSPAC Executive Board

• Prof. Ladislav Dušek, Ph.D., Director of the Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses at Masaryk University
• Prof. Ivan Holoubek, Ph.D., Professor at RECETOX at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University
• Assoc. Prof. Lubomír Kukla, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor at RECETOX at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University
• Prof. Petr Macek, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for Research on Children, Youth and Families at the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University

The ELSPAC Ethics Committee was established in September 2014 based on Measure No. 1/2014 issued by The ELSPAC Executive Board. The ELSPAC Ethics Committee is the advisory board to the ELSPAC Executive Board, assesses the ethical and legal issues of the use of ELSPAC, and also the ethical and legal issues related to requests for follow-up (new) research projects.

Chair of the ELSPAC Ethics Committee

• JUDr. Pavel Koukal, Ph.D., Technology transfer Office, Masaryk University

Members of the ELSPAC Ethics Committee

• Mgr. Bc. Vlastimil Slovák, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University
• Mgr. Marika Chrápavá, Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Masaryk University

Executive management of the ELSPAC study:

• Lenka Andrýsková, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Expert guarantors:

• Assoc. Prof. Lubomir Kukla, M.D., Ph.D.
• Prof. Petr Macek, Ph.D.

Digitisation of acquired records:

• Barbara Klánová, Anna Klčová, David Kolář, Martin Komínek, Ivana Kostolňaková, Ersin Ramadani, Lucie Kordačová

Data analysis:

• Prof. Ladislav Dušek, Ph.D., Jiří Jarkovský, Ph.D., Jan Švancara, M.Sc., Markéta Novotná, M.Sc., Petra Matoušková, M.Sc.

Preparation of subsequent studies:

• Vít Kandrnal, M.D., Pavel Piler, M.Sc.

Marketing study:

• Ing. Markéta Soukupová, MBA

… ELSPAC is the first-ever study that follows a child’s development from the pregnancy over the entire period of childhood and adolescence to adulthood?

… the study also researches both parents, their personality, behaviour, attitudes and state of health?

… all acquired data is strictly confidential and is never provided either to individuals or institutions?

… data is produced in such a format that individuals and families can never be identified?

… the pilot stage of the ELSPAC study involved not only the Czech Republic, the UK, the Isle of Man, Slovakia, Russia, and the Ukraine, but also Croatia, Estonia, Greece and Spain?

… the study followed up approximately 40,000 children internationally?

… the largest and the most successful study has been running in the UK under the title of ALSPAC?

… more than 200,000 questionnaires were collected in the Czech Republic?

… Professor Jean Golding from the University of Bristol was the international coordinator of the ELSPAC study from its very beginning, and that Assoc. Prof. Lubomir Kukla, M.D., Ph.D. from the Masaryk University took over in 2007?

RECETOX

Masaryk University
Faculty of Science
Kamenice 753/5, pavilon D29BB, 625 00 Brno
Czech Republic
E-mail: info@celspac.cz