ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES (ECHO)

Mile High ECHO Research Study

Early Life Determinants of Child Health

What is ECHO?

ECHO is a national research initiative sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to determine what factors give children the highest likelihood of achieving the best health outcomes over their lifetimes. Click here to learn more about ECHO.

What is Mile High ECHO?

Mile High ECHO will focus on collecting information from moms and their babies to understand how the environment and things that happen early in children’s life (including before they are conceived or born) influence a broad range of child health outcomes, including their development, health and well-being.

In Colorado, Mile High ECHO is being lead by the Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity & Diabetes (LEAD) Center. The LEAD Center is a research and training center at the Colorado School of Public Health. It was established in 2015 on the University of Colorado (CU) Anschutz Medical Campus, through a joint collaboration among the Colorado School of Public Health, the CU School of Medicine and its Department of Pediatrics, and Children’s​​ Hospital Colorado.

Who is leading Mile High ECHO in Colorado?

Who can participate?

Any pregnant person living in the Greater Denver Metropolitan Area that fulfills ALL the requirements below:

  • 16 years old or older

  • Under 20 weeks of pregnancy

If you decide to participate, you and your unborn child will complete 8 visits throughout a period of 5 years. After this, we will collect information and samples from your child once a year up until they turn 21 years old. Some of these visits will be remote and some will be in person at the LEAD Center, Anschutz Medical Campus. You and your child will be compensated for each visit completed. We may also ask your partner to join ECHO, if they are available.

At these visits, you will be asked to complete questionnaires about you and your child. You will also be asked to provide samples from you and your child such as blood, urine, saliva, stool, placenta, hair, and teeth that fall out (child).

What happens if I decide to participate?

ECHO might also collect information and samples before you become pregnant again to help understand how things that happen before pregnancy affect child health. If you become pregnant again while you are part of ECHO, we may ask to collect information and samples about that pregnancy, and from that baby when it is born.

You, your child, and your partner (if participating) have the right to stop participating in the study at any time.

Will I Receive Compensation?

Yes, for each visit that you or your child complete, you will be paid up to $250. This can vary between visits, but you will always be informed about the exact compensation for each visit beforehand.

You will also be provided with transportation assistance such as Uber or a gas gift card if needed.