The Cohort ’18 study has reached yet another stage of data collection. We have a long journey to look back at: the more than 8,000 families who initially joined the study first responded to our questionnaire in 2018, when they were still expecting their child to arrive. In the years that followed, we ask mothers three more times about their child’s rearing: at the 6-months-old, 18-months-old and three-years-old age of the child.

The Coronavirus pandemic, among many other things, overwrote the calculations of the research. Following the flare-up of the first wave, data collection was paused between March and June 2020, meaning we could not return to nearly a quarter of the families with 18-months-olds during that time. And now, due to the current virus-situation, we have to start the three-year-old data collection later.

Nevertheless, we did not give up on the study! We are working with the staff of Inspira Kft., the company that carries out data collection, on the preparation of a telephone data collection. However, the pandemic situation is constantly changing, thus we are also considering the possibility of postponing the start of the inquiry, to a later date, when collection once more will be possible in person.

One thing we can say for sure: the three-year-old data collection will be realized, even if with a slight delay! In the meantime, we start to send our birthday greetings to the three-year-olds, accompanied by a small gift and information provided to the families – it will be worth paying attention to your mailbox! :)

We wish strength and perseverance to the families involved in our study and wish them pleasant spring weeks!