PI – Professor Andrew McIntosh (University of Edinburgh)
Co-I’s: Professor Amelia Crampin (University of Glasgow), Dr Robert Stewart, Dr Angus Macbeth , Dr Martyn Pickersgill, Dr Lucinda Manda-Taylor, Dr Luis Gadama MMed (O&G), Dr Eric Umar, Dr Genesis Chorwe Sungani, Dr Elizabeth Chodzaza, Dr Emmie Mbale MMed (Paeds), Dr Melissa Gladstone, Dr Linda Nyondo Mipando, Dr Kazione Kulisewa MMed (Psych), Dr Effie Chipeta PhD, Dr Charles Mwansambo FRCPH, Prof Victor Mwapasa PhD, Mrs Jullita Kenala Malava MPH, Dr Joseph Mkandawire MBBS, Dr Deborah Nyirenda PhD
Dates: 01/08/20-31/01/24
Summary
Generation Malawi is a joint UK Medical Research Council (MRC GCRF) and Wellcome funded longitudinal study of mental and physical health in families in Malawi.
The 5-year study is a collaboration between University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU), University of Malawi College of Medicine (COM), Kamuzu College of Nursing (KCN), LSHTM and University of Liverpool and others
Generation Malawi will establish a multi-generational family/birth cohort in the rural (Chilumba) and urban (Lilongwe Area 25) MEIRU research sites through which to study longitudinal course and pregnancy, early-life and intergenerational effects for chronic mental and physical health conditions.
Generation Malawi is part of a linked programme of longitudinal population studies of chronic health conditions in the MEIRU sites alongside the Healthy Lives Malawi studies: Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites (HDSS) and a cross-sectional chronic health conditions survey.
The Generation Malawi protocol, under development, will aim to recruit, 8000 pregnant women from antenatal clinics; baseline assessments will take place at the participants’ homes from where spouses and wider family members will also be recruited.
A battery of questionnaires will be used to identify common mental and physical health conditions and risk factors (e.g. household characteristics, IPV, adverse childhood experiences, social support, socio-economic status). Anthropometry, other physical health measures and, in the pregnant women, ultrasound pregnancy dating will be conducted.
In addition, biological samples will be taken. These will be stored for later genotyping in a biorepository that will be established by the project.
Participants will be followed up and repeat mental and physical health measures will be conducted. Infant birth outcomes, infant growth and neurodevelopment will be recorded along with measures of mother/child interaction.
