The Cebu longitudinal health and nutrition survey: Two decades later

The Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (CLHNS) is the longest health and nutrition longitudinal study ever conducted in the Philippines and possibly one of the longest in Asia. It started in 1983 with 3,327 pregnant women who, together with their children born between May 1983 and April 1984, have been reinterviewed 18 times thereafter. This article discusses the origins and modalities of CLHNS, underscoring its value in examining social, demographic and health trends. The challenges faced and the lessons learned during the survey's more than two decades of existence are presented. Best practices are described and a set of recommendations for the conduct of longitudinal and intergenerational studies is also put forward.

Duke Scholars

Author Tien Yin Wong Ophthalmology