Lifelines COVID-19 cohort: investigating COVID-19 infection and its health and societal impacts in a Dutch population-based cohort
Judith M Vonk,
H Marike Boezen,
Sandra Brouwer,
Cisca Wijmenga,
Ute Bültmann,
Jochen Mierau,
Johanna C Herkert,
Alexandra Zhernakova,
Katherine Mc Intyre,
Pauline Lanting,
Patrick Deelen,
Henry H Wiersma,
Anil P S Ori,
Soesma A Jankipersadsing,
Robert Warmerdam,
Irene van Blokland,
Floranne Boulogne,
Marjolein X L Dijkema,
Annique Claringbould,
Olivier Bakker,
Esteban A Lopera Maya,
Sijmen A Reijneveld,
Elianne Zijlstra,
Morris A Swertz,
Raun van Ooijen,
Viola Angelini,
Louise H Dekker,
Anna Sijtsma,
Sicco A Scherjon,
Jackie A M Dekens,
Lude Franke
Affiliations
Judith M Vonk
Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
H Marike Boezen
1 University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Sandra Brouwer
6 Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Cisca Wijmenga
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Ute Bültmann
2 Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Jochen Mierau
7 Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Johanna C Herkert
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Alexandra Zhernakova
2 University Medical Centre, Groningen, Netherlands
Katherine Mc Intyre
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Pauline Lanting
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Patrick Deelen
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Henry H Wiersma
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Anil P S Ori
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Soesma A Jankipersadsing
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Robert Warmerdam
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Irene van Blokland
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Floranne Boulogne
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Marjolein X L Dijkema
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Annique Claringbould
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Olivier Bakker
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Esteban A Lopera Maya
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Sijmen A Reijneveld
6 Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Elianne Zijlstra
6 Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Morris A Swertz
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Raun van Ooijen
6 Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Viola Angelini
Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Louise H Dekker
7 Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Anna Sijtsma
Lifelines Cohort Study, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Sicco A Scherjon
10 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Jackie A M Dekens
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Lude Franke
1 Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Purpose The Lifelines COVID-19 cohort was set up to assess the psychological and societal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate potential risk factors for COVID-19 within the Lifelines prospective population cohort.Participants Participants were recruited from the 140 000 eligible participants of Lifelines and the Lifelines NEXT birth cohort, who are all residents of the three northern provinces of the Netherlands. Participants filled out detailed questionnaires about their physical and mental health and experiences on a weekly basis starting in late March 2020, and the cohort consists of everyone who filled in at least one questionnaire in the first 8 weeks of the project.Findings to date >71 000 unique participants responded to the questionnaires at least once during the first 8 weeks, with >22 000 participants responding to seven questionnaires. Compiled questionnaire results are continuously updated and shared with the public through the Corona Barometer website. Early results included a clear signal that younger people living alone were experiencing greater levels of loneliness due to lockdown, and subsequent results showed the easing of anxiety as lockdown was eased in June 2020.Future plans Questionnaires were sent on a (bi)weekly basis starting in March 2020 and on a monthly basis starting July 2020, with plans for new questionnaire rounds to continue through 2020 and early 2021. Questionnaire frequency can be increased again for subsequent waves of infections. Cohort data will be used to address how the COVID-19 pandemic developed in the northern provinces of the Netherlands, which environmental and genetic risk factors predict disease susceptibility and severity and the psychological and societal impacts of the crisis. Cohort data are linked to the extensive health, lifestyle and sociodemographic data held for these participants by Lifelines, a 30-year project that started in 2006, and to data about participants held in national databases.
