The Indigenous Queensland Family Cohort (I-QFC) study: a feasibility birth cohort study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families - cohort profile.

purposeThe Developmental Origin of Health and Disease framework emphasises the intergenerational influence of both maternal and paternal factors on the perinatal and longer-term outcomes of offspring. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have driven major advances in family and health research across Australia, including longitudinal studies grounded in community priorities. Despite this progress, few birth cohort studies have focused on Indigenous families and even fewer have examined the health and well-being of Indigenous fathers.

participantsThe Indigenous Queensland Family Cohort (I-QFC) study is a prospective, longitudinal birth cohort study that commenced in 2021, recruiting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander families from the Mater Mothers' Hospital in Brisbane, Australia. This feasibility study forms part of the larger QFC study to understand the acceptability and practical considerations of including Indigenous families in a birth cohort study. Participants include pregnant individuals, their partners (where applicable), and their infants, followed from pregnancy to 6 weeks post partum. Data collection involved self-administered and researcher-facilitated surveys, alongside biological sample collection. FINDINGS TO DATE: The study enrolled 103 pregnant participants and 64 partners and outlined the study design and baseline characteristics. Survey completion rates were high for antenatal and birth-related data collection when facilitated by Indigenous research staff (>94%). In contrast, completion declined substantially at later time points and among partners, with only 35 mothers completing the 6-week survey post partum and progressive participant attrition observed across the study period. Variation in biological sample provision and longitudinal follow-up provided important insights into cultural, logistical and relational factors influencing engagement in family-based cohort research. Biological sample collection was more limited, with few participants contributing across multiple time points. Participants were influenced by cultural considerations, including the spiritual significance of placental tissue, as well as perceptions among male partners' belief that their involvement in perinatal research was unnecessary. FUTURE PLANS: By adopting a family-centred approach, I-QFC provides insights into culturally grounded research with Indigenous families, with the potential to strengthen health and well-being across generations. As such, these findings are currently used to inform the development of a forthcoming co-design birth cohort study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in Queensland, Australia.