IJE vol.34 no.1 © International Epidemiological Association 2005; all rights reserved.
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The Midspan studies
1 Public Health and Health Policy, Division of Community Based Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8RZ, Scotland, UK
2 General Practice and Primary Care, Division of Community Based Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 9LX, Scotland, UK
3 Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
4 Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
5 Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
* Correspondence: Public Health and Health Policy, Division of Community Based Sciences, University of Glasgow, 1 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RZ, Scotland, UK. E-mail: c.l.hart@udcf.gla.ac.uk
Accepted 6 September 2004
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How did the study come about? |
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The use of large-scale epidemiological studies for public health research was pioneered in Scotland by Victor Hawthorne in the 1960s (Figure 1). The Midspan studies (so called because they were centred around the ‘midspan’ of life; http://www.gla.ac.uk/faculties/medicine/midspan; Figure 2) originated in the post-war drive to control pulmonary tuberculosis using mass miniature radiography. The availability of a well-established and effective method of examining large numbers of apparently healthy volunteers suggested the extension of the screening examination to detect a much wider range of chronic disease and disability. Midspan is the name given to four separate occupational and general population cohort studies based in Scotland, which used Hawthorne's methodology.
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The first study, incorporating the Main and Tiree study, received funding from the Board of Management for Glasgow Northern Hospitals and the Western Regional Hospital Board. It was developed in conjunction with
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What does it cover, and how has this changed? |
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Who is in the sample and how often have they been followed up? |
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What has been measured? |
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What is attrition like? |
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What has it found? |
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Key findings and key publications
Population screening
Blood pressure
Cholesterol
Smoking
Coronary heart disease
Stroke
Respiratory disease
Cancer
Qualitative studies about heart disease
Alcohol
Haemostasis
Early origins
Height
Social class and life course
Stress and psychosocial factors
Hospital admissions
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What are the main strengths and weaknesses? |
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Can I get hold of the data and where can I find out more? |
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