Generation Scotland halfway to recruiting 20k new volunteers

Generation Scotland, Scotland’s largest family health study, hit an incredible 10,000 new volunteer sign-ups at the end of February, marking the halfway point to their total recruitment target of 20,000.

These new 10,000 participants join an existing cohort of 24,000 people who joined Generation Scotland its initial wave of recruitment from 2006–2011. To mark this achievement and in recognition of the 370+ scientific papers volunteers have already contributed to, the Generation Scotland team released a recap video for their Winter Newsletter (link below) entitled Generation Scotland in 2023.

Following the broadcast of Generation Scotland’s TV advertising campaign last year on STV – the first of its kind by any longitudinal study in the UK – the team have been busy with a variety of public outreach activities. In the past few months alone, this has included travelling to Dundee to co-present with a young volunteer at the NHS Research Scotland (NRS) and Chief Scientist Office (CSO) Patient and Public Involvement Event, developing relationships with schools via a creative Future Health Competition and holding school assemblies for S1-S6 students.

Generation Scotland has also been breaking new ground by developing its social media presence not only on Instagram, but also on TikTok (links below). This is a key part of the study’s efforts to reach more young people, who are a key group the study seeks to represent.

The Generation Scotland team at the University of Edinburgh Bayes Centre
The Generation Scotland team at the University of Edinburgh Bayes Centre

 

Tohoku Megabank Cohort Visit

In March, members of the Generation Scotland team had the pleasure of meeting with Ichiko Nishijima and Fuji Nagami from the Tohoku Megabank Cohort in Japan. The Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization operates one of Japan's largest population cohorts (150,000 people) and biobank with whole genome analysis of more than 70,000 people.

Ichiko Nishijima and Fuji Nagami were keen to hear how Generation Scotland had partnered with clinical studies of dementia and depression, as they were keen to pursue similar steps within their own cohort.

Meeting between Generation Scotland and Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization representatives
Ichiko Nishijima and Fuji Nagami (Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization) meet with Archie Campbell, Professor Heather Whalley and Professor Riccardo Marioni (Generation Scotland)

 

Loneliness in the Digital World

Moving into April, this is due to be an exciting month for Generation Scotland, as on the 10th of April, the study’s young advisors will act as co-curators of an exhibition within the University of Edinburgh Library. As part of this, they will share artworks they have selected from the Library and Heritage Collection that feel represent the themes of loneliness or social interaction. This event will usher in the launch of the Loneliness in the Digital World Study – an app-based study exploring links between feelings of loneliness in young people following online versus in-person interactions.

Also in April, the Generation Scotland team will be appearing at the Edinburgh Science Festival for the second year running, taking with them some fun activities to demonstrate topics such as brain structure, DNA and data analysis to all age groups from 9th to 12th April.

Generation Scotland volunteer Eva with Sarah Robertson, Young Person Engagement & Recruitment Coordinator, at the Dundee PPI Event
Generation Scotland volunteer Eva with Sarah Robertson, Young Person Engagement & Recruitment Coordinator, at the Dundee PPI Event

As Generation Scotland works towards recruiting their next 10,000 volunteers, they are keen not only to invite more young people to join the study, but also more male participants and people of colour, as these groups are currently underrepresented within the cohort.

Generation Scotland is open to anyone aged 12 and above living in Scotland or with family in Scotland.

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