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Maine Study Center for National Children's Study

The National Children's Study: Improving the Health of America's Children

The National Children's Study is the largest long-term study of environmental and genetic effects on children's health ever conducted in the United States. By following over 100,000 children from before birth to age 21, study researchers hope to better understand how children's genes and their environments interact to affect their health and development.  Cumberland County in Maine is one of 105 counties across the country that is participating in this landmark Study.  Over 1,000 children born in Cumberland County, and their families, will participate in the National Children's Study. 

The Maine Study Center is the administrative and research home for the National Children's Study in Cumberland County. Established in 2008, the Maine Study Center combines the expertise of doctors and researchers from Maine Medical Center, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, the Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, and the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital.  The Maine Study Center team combines expertise in pediatrics, maternal and child health, epidemiology, public health, education, and community outreach.  The Study Center works closely with local community organizations and healthcare providers to promote, raise awareness, and support the Study and our participants. 

The Maine Study Center is currently testing an enhanced household-based recruitment method. This method of recruitment involves door-to-door "census-type" recruitment.  As part of a pilot study, the Maine Study Center began recruiting families from selected areas of Cumberland County in December of 2010.  Every home in eligible neighborhoods was visited to ensure that the study represents the diversity of Cumberland County families.  To date, the Study Center has contacted over 16,000 homes, with over 200 women and more than 50 babies joining the study! The goals of the NCS pilot study focus on study feasibility, acceptability, and cost of the elements that will form the full study.

Researchers at Maine Medical Center Research Institute are involved in a supplemental project for the National Children's Study. The Real-Time Analytics project team is testing methods of storing and processing samples for present-time and future analyses.  The results from this project will inform the design and sampling strategy for the Main Study.

Learn more about the Maine Study Center or the National Children's Study.  If you, or someone you know, are interested in learning more about how to participate, call us at 662-1488 or email NCS@mmc.org .