Thousand Families Study, Newcastle upon Tyne

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The initial thoughts leading to the development of the Thousand Families Study arose through observations made by Sir James Spence, one of the first ever full time paediatricians in the United Kingdom, and from 1942, the first holder of a University Chair of Child Health in England.

Prior to the Second World War, Newcastle City Council became increasingly concerned about the high infant mortality rate in the city (in 1939 the rate was 62 per 1000 live births) and asked Spence to undertake a review of all deaths of babies. Spence concluded that the excess infant mortality was due to death from acute infection. Further research was curtailed by the Second World War.

[edit] The Start of the Newcastle Thousand Families Study

At the end of the war, the young doctors began to return to take up their former careers. One of those was Fred Miller and in 1946 Spence is reported to have said to him at a weekly departmental meeting "Well Freddie, what are we going to do about all these infections?". So began the Thousand Families Study.

The study was initially planned for only one year and aimed to confirm the earlier finding that acute infection was the major cause of infant mortality in the city, and in particular identify which factors put infants at a higher risk of such infections. In addition, it also aimed to place the health of the infants within the context of the family.

[edit] Ongoing study

The study went on til 1962. After this date follow-ups of some of the participants were conducted when they reached the age of 22, 33 and 50. In some of these follow-ups all of the participants were contacted.