An introduction to the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

ELSAEnglish LongitudinalStudy of Ageing

An introduction to the An introduction to the EnglishEnglish Longitudinal Study of AgeingLongitudinal Study of Ageing

Workshop on Longitudinal Studies of Ageing.

Newcastle Nov 2004

Elizabeth Breeze & Meena Kumari

University College, London

ELSA English LongitudinalStudy of Ageing

Research team

International Centre for Health and Society, UCL

Institute for Fiscal Studies and UCL

National Centre for Social Research (NatCen)

plus researchers from Cambridge, Nottingham, University of East Anglia, Exeter

Funding from NIA and UK government


ELSA investigators & management groupELSA investigators & management group

UCL:Michael MarmotJames NazrooElizabeth Breeze

IFS:James BanksRichard Blundell

NatCen:

Bob Erens

Carli Lessof

Cambridge:

Felicia Huppert


Key Research AreasKey Research Areas

Health trajectories

Disability and the compression of morbidity

Determinants of economic position in older age

Relationships between economic position and health

Timing of retirement

& post retirement labour market activity

Household/family structure; the transfer of resources

Social participation & social productivity at older ages


ELSA design: basicsELSA design: basics

Sample ―approx 12,000 people born before March 1952– in household sector at baseline– also interview spouses outside the age range– some details on other household / family members– interview every two years, starting 2002– from time to time refresh sample for younger end

of age spectrum (wave 3, 2006)


ELSA design: basicsELSA design: basics

Sample drawn from Health Survey for England

(1998,1999, 2001)―Annual cross-section of approx 16,000 adults―Core content―Varying supplementary modules each year―Some summary economic and demographic

measures―Detailed health measures form ELSA baseline


Broad questionnaire coverageBroad questionnaire coverage

Demographics: household & individual Physical and mental health: disease and symptoms Social participation & social support Housing Employment and earnings Pensions and retirement Income and assets Cognitive function Psychosocial; quality of life Expectations


Modes of data collection (1)Modes of data collection (1)INTERVIEWER VISIT CAPI (computer assisted interviews) Self-completion Measurements – timed walk

NURSE VISIT (wave 2, wave 4..) Measurements, e.g. anthropometry, blood pressure Measures of functioning, e.g. grip strength Blood sample

Post back after interview: self-completion, saliva sample


Modes of data collection (2)Modes of data collection (2)LINKS TO OTHER SOURCES PLANNED Death and cancer registration Geographical information (via postcode) Hospital episodes Social security benefits

NB – not yet achieved last two

ONE-OFF LIFE HISTORY INTERVIEW, 2006

Subject to funding


Some messages from Wave 1Some messages from Wave 1


Middle age no paradiseMiddle age no paradise

0

20

40

60

80

100

50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80+

Age

% reporting difficulty with mobility or upper-limb functions


Old age not hellOld age not hell

0

20

40

60

80

100

50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80+

Age

% reporting NO difficulty with basic activities of daily living*

*Dressing, walking across room, bathing, eating, getting in/out of bed, using toilet


Social gradient in health persists – both Social gradient in health persists – both “objective” and “subjective” social ranking“objective” and “subjective” social ranking

Self-reported health by wealth and ladder

01020304050607080

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Ladder position

% e

xcel

len

t o

r v.

g.

hea

lth

Quintile 5 Quintile 4 Quintile 3 Quintile 2 Quintile 1


More rapid ageing if lower in social More rapid ageing if lower in social hierarchyhierarchy

Poor gait speed by years education: women

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90+

age group

% <10

10+


Wave 2 (1)Wave 2 (1)NURSE VISIT (wave 2, currently in field) Blood pressure Grip strength Height (standing, sitting) Weight Waist and hip measurement Lung function Balance Leg rise; Chair raise Saliva sample (4 samples to be completed on next

convenient weekday)


Wave 2 (2)Wave 2 (2)

NURSE VISIT (wave 2, currently in field)

Blood sample – Assessment of lipids, (fasting) glucose, inflammatory markersDNA extraction for subsequent genetic analyses

[email protected]


Harmonisation (1) Collaboration with US Health and Retirement

Study (HRS)Same approach to income and wealth dataMany health questions sameExperimental modules to allow

international comparisons where questions differ

HRS investigators as consultants


Harmonisation (2)

Collaboration with Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) Many concepts same Overlap of questions but sometimes different

approaches taken (e.g. mental health) SHARE PI as consultant to ELSA ; HRS and

ELSA investigators as consultants to SHARE


Ethical and practical issues

Data access policy – preserving confidentiality MREC = time taken to obtain clearance Flexibility for users vs restriction to specific

hypothesis Designing next wave before have results of previous

one Minimising attrition Representativeness over time Inclusion of people in long-term care Proxy information

ELSAEnglish LongitudinalStudy of Ageing

ELSA looks forward to the contribution ELSA looks forward to the contribution she can make to understanding ageingshe can make to understanding ageing

www.ifs.org.uk/elsa

An introduction to the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

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