Region
The “Study of Health in Pomerania” is a population-based epidemiological study in the region of Western Pomerania (federal state: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern).
Study design: Cross-sectional and cohort study
| SHIP-0: | SHIP was at first planned as a cross-sectional study. Examinations were held in centres stationed at Stralsund and Greifswald between the 16th of October 1997 and the 19th of May 2001. |
| SHIP-1: | The first 5-year-follow-up commenced on the 23rd of October 2002. SHIP-0 participants were invited again and examined in Greifswald. Data collection was completed on September 1st, 2006. |
| SHIP-2: | The 12-year follow-up has started in June 2008. |
| SHIP-Trend-0: | A new sample has been drawan for a new cohort, to be examined from September 2008. |
Sampling
A representative sample (for SHIP-0) of men and women aged between 20 and 79 years was drawn using a two-stage stratified and cluster sampling scheme:
| Region: | the study region was split into 3 regions (Stralsund and former administrative district, Greifswald and former administrative district, Anklam and former administrative district). |
| Cluster: | in the first stage communities (“primary sampling units” PSUs) were drawn at random within the 3 regions. Every PSU with more than 1500 inhabitation was included in our target sample, i.e. these communities were selected with a probability set to 1. From the smaller PSUs, a subset was chosen at random. |
| Stratum: | the second sampling step consisted of dividing the population of the selected cities and communities into 24 strata according to age and sex. From these strata we sampled our test persons to reflect the population sizes in the larger cities and smaller communities. |
More literature
John, U., et al. Study of Health In Pomerania (SHIP): a health examination survey in an east German region: objectives and design. Sozial- und Präventivmedizin 46: 186-94, 2001. (Geht ausführlich auf Studienregion, Studienpopulation und Studiendesign von SHIP-0 ein.)
Data quality
Response proportion
SHIP-0 concluded with a participant proportion of 68,8%.
DSMC - External Monitoring
According to the guidelines on good epidemiological practice of the (GEP at DGEPI
),
SHIP was planned and accompanied with support and advice from an
external Data safety and Monitoring Committee (DSMC). Detailed reports
are presented biannually and conferences are held to discuss the
current results and trends of the collected data to ensure that high
and comparable quality standards are maintained throughout the length
of the study.External members of the DSMC for SHIP-1 were until 2006:
- Prof. Dr. Christof Dörfer (Universität Schleswig Holstein, Campus Kiel)
- Prof. em. Dr. Eberhard Greiser (Epi.Consult GmbH Bremen)
- Prof. Dr. Johannes Haerting (Universität Halle)
- PD Dr. Ursula Härtel (LMU München)
- Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Hense (Universität Münster)
- Prof. Dr. Johannes Haerting (IMIBE, Uni Halle) - DSMC-Speaker
- Prof. Dr. Arne-Jörn Lemke (Berlin, Charité - Campus Virchow-Klinikum)
- Prof. Dr. Holger Schünemann (University at Buffalo, McMaster University, USA)
- Dr. Christine Meisinger (Helmholtz München)
- Michael Thamm (RKI, Berlin, KiGGS)
- PD Dr. Siegfried Gabler (ZUMA/GESIS, Mannheim)
- Prof. Dr. Torsten Schäfer (Lübeck)
Certifications
All interviewers and investigators taking part in the study are certified before they start their occupation. Certifications are then renewed every 6 months. Intra- and inter-observer variabilities are estimated. The aim is to minimise any subjective component in the examinations. If the predetermined quality criteria are not fulfilled by an examiner, a special callibration training is held, followed by further certification.
Data Security and Protection
Data protection agreements prevent the unauthorized and improper access of third persons to personal data and results of SHIP. The highest priority is placed on preventing the combination of personal data and examination results. We ensure this by separating employees and hardware for data management.
Financing
The following sponsors take or took part in SHIP:
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung [Federal Ministry of Education and Research]
Grant period: 01.01.1997 - 30.06.2007
Grant period: 01.07.2007 - 30.06.2012
- Kultusministerium des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
[Ministry of Education, Sciences and Culture Mecklenburg-West Pomerania] (SHIP-0/1) - Sozialministerium des Landes Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
[Ministry of Social Affairs Mecklenburg-West Pomerania] (SHIP-0) - Klinikum der Hansestadt Stralsund (SHIP-0)
- Industry partners
- Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz
[Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection] - Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [DFG - German Research Foundation]
- Industry partners
