The second major COHRA project builds on the work from the first COHRA study, which found that cavities are occurring in the young children from the COHRA1 Cohort Study families in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia at rates that are increased over the national averages. This led to the hypothesis that the factors affecting increased caries experience in our sample might be occurring at the very earliest stages of life, and possibly even during pregnancy. Thus in 2011, the COHRA2 Cohort Study began recruiting women from West Virginia and southwest Pennsylvania who were in their first and second trimesters of pregnancy, and following them and their babies until the babies reached age two. With a renewal of funding in 2016, the COHRA2 Cohort Study entered Phase 2 and children are now followed until age six. Data are collected during several in-person interviews, as well as periodic telephone questionnaires, and include DNA samples, microbial samples from several sites in the mouth, a dental assessment, and demographic, medical, diet, child care, and psychosocial variables. Results will elucidate the interactions between the oral microbiome, host genetics, and a range of environmental factors that lead to such high rates of caries in young Northern Appalachian children.
 |
 |
| Members of COHRA2 Team |
Volunteers make a hand-made hat for each COHRA2 baby study participant |