PI, Institution:
Jane Hoppin, North Carolina State University

Grant: R24ES028526

Description:
Infantes y Salud Ambiental (ISA: Infants Environmental Health Study) is a community-based cohort of nearly 300 mothers and their children (5-7 years old) living in a rural underserved area of Costa Rica. The study is examining the potential health effects of pesticides on the mothers and their children, who are often exposed to a variety of different chemicals used in agriculture and vector and pasture control.

Cohort Maintenance & Enrichment Activities:
Updating participant medical history, including neurobehavioral and respiratory outcomes, and collecting biological samples from mothers and their children. Expanding exposure characterization by conducting air monitoring of pesticides at primary schools situated in the study area and validating urinary biomarkers of pesticide exposure. Increasing engagement with cohort members and their communities to support health promotion. Creating a more consistent outreach program to inform cohort members, community stakeholders, and policy makers about study findings on a regular basis.

Data Management & Sharing Activities:
Enhancing specimen storage protocols to facilitate data sharing efforts and timely conduct of statistical analyses. Improving long-term specimen storage and tracking in Costa Rica. Implementing a rigorous data management strategy to include analytics and documentation in English and Spanish. Creating integrated exposure models to aggregate and manage complex exposure data. Collecting and reporting exposure data and other information relevant to the cohort members and community on a routine basis.

Data Access:
Investigators that are interested in potential collaborations with the ISA Study should first contact the principal investigator, Berna van Wendel de Joode, Ph.D. Proposals should focus on why the project is suited for the unique characteristics of the ISA cohort. Projects not focusing on pesticides or manganese are unlikely to be approved by the Institutional Review Board.

Please see NIH RePORTER for publications associated with this R24 grant.