NIEHS coordinates the WHO Collaborating Centre Network for Children’s Environmental Health. The network of 13 designated WHO Collaborating Centres, established in 2015, brings together researchers in children’s environmental health from more than 11 countries. The network's overall goal is to improve children's health by preventing or reducing environmental threats by:
- Building evidence and research capacities in global children's environmental health.
- Coordinating and conducting collaborative children's environmental health research.
- Raising awareness of global children's environmental health issues by improving education and communication strategies.
- Developing interventions aimed at capacity building, reducing exposure, and preventing or decreasing the burden of disease for children.
As part of network efforts, NIEHS has established a collection of epidemiologic cohort information from the Collaborating Centres. Many Centres in the network use population-based epidemiologic cohorts to study how environmental exposures affect children’s health. Data from these cohort studies can help scientists in the U.S. and abroad better understand the key determinants of environmentally-related diseases, especially as they occur in certain locations or in population subgroups. Because cohorts are time-consuming and expensive to establish and maintain, it is important to share protocols, data, and findings from around the world. Find out more about the network’s cohorts on the NIEHS Children's Cohort Studies website.
