The EPIC-Norfolk StudyThere were eleven participants and six researchers at the January EPAP meeting at the Assembly House in Norwich.
All the Panel members have now participated in the Fourth Health Check (4HC) and have received their results.
There was feedback from members on the 20-year event at St Andrews Hall. The posters used on the day are now available to view and download from the EPIC website www.epic-norfolk.org.uk. Work is also ongoing to upload presentations from the day.
Panel members were thanked for their comments and suggestions regarding the use of a GPS device in future 4HC tests. These devices will not be affected in the same way as phone signals in rural areas.
Family Study Future Planning
Cathy Elks of the MRC Epidemiology Unit gave an interesting presentation about possible future plans to contact the children and grandchildren of current participants and to invite them to participate in our research. Cathy asked the Panel for thoughts on how to recruit participants including how to invite the children to participate, electronic versions of documentation, children living way from this region and the feasibility of recruiting a third generation. The Panel then reviewed a proposed survey to be sent out with 4HC approaches for their comments. The survey will be put into invitation packs once Ethics permission is obtained.
Fourth Health Check (4HC)
Just over 2000 people have been seen for a 4HC. There are four new members of staff at the Norwich Unit, three research assistants and a study support assistant. The 4HC is being well received with response rates being around 44% (same as previous phases). The approach strategy in EPIC is by GP surgery but not in any particular order (such as alphabetical). The surgeries are being approached according to transportation routes and seasons.
Next newsletter
The group also looked at a draft of the next newsletter and commented on the text.
New scanning process
The 4HC questionnaires are now being scanned after data entry so that they need only be stored for six months and then disposed of. This will mean that more archive space will be saved and that the team will be able to locate questionnaires easily and electronically. This is currently in a testing phase and it is going well.
Science Festival 2014
EPIC would be taking part in the Cambridge Science Festival (CSF) in March 2014 and holding stands at two events plus a talk. It is hoped to bring some of these activities to the Forum in Norwich in future.
Data…..’A risky business’
Robert Luben gave an interesting talk on data, EPIC facts and how calculating the chance of something happening can be counter-intuitive.
Robert explained odds and odds ratios as these are often used to describe risk. He also described two different participants (anonymised), demonstrating the variety of data EPIC has both in health areas and in differences between participants.
Future meetings
Possible subjects for future meetings were suggested: hands and facial photography, a chance to try out glasses that simulate different eye conditions and feedback on Caldicott Guardian follow-up. The next meeting will be in May when Marleen Lentjes (EPIC) will talk about nutrition.