Ageing in Women and Men: A Longitudinal Study of Gender Differences in Health Behaviour and Health among Elderly
The objective of this study is to investigate gender differences during the aging process.
- Start Year
- 1994
- End Year
- 2007
| Investigators | Contacts |
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Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Follow Up
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GENDER is a study of unlike-sex twin pairs born between 1906 and 1925 (Gold et al., 2002). A survey concerning health and health behavior was mailed in 1994 with responses from 1210 twins from 605 pairs where both responded. Mean age at baseline questionnaire assessment was 74.43 (SD 4.28) and all are Caucasians. A baseline in-person evaluation of 498 twins from 249 pairs between 70 and 80 years of age was undertaken between 1995 and 1997, and included an interview and tests of cognitive and physical functioning. Two additional in-person waves followed at 4-year intervals. Finally, a second survey was mailed in 2007 to all living twins who participated in the first mailed survey.
Marker Paper
Gold, C. H., Malmberg, B., McClearn, G. E., Pedersen, N. L., & Berg, S. (2002). Gender and health: A study of older unlike-sex twins. Journals of Gerontology: Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 57B, S168-S176.
PUBMED 11983743
Recruitment
- Sources of Recruitment
-
- Families
Number of participants
- Number of participants
- 1,210
- Number of participants with biosamples
- 470
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
| Possible Access to Data | |
| Possible Access to Biosamples | |
| Other |
Timeline
GENDER - Population
Population comprises unlike-sex twin pairs born between 1906 and 1925 (Gold et al., 2002). A survey concerning health and health behavior was mailed in 1994 with responses from 1210 twins from 605 pairs where both responded. Mean age at baseline questionnaire assessment was 74.43 (SD 4.28) and all were Caucasians. A baseline in-person evaluation of 498 twins from 249 pairs between 70 and 80 years of age was undertaken between 1995 and 1997, and included an interview and tests of cognitive and physical functioning. Two additional in-person waves followed at 4-year intervals. Finally, a second survey was mailed in 2007 to all living twins who participated in the first mailed survey.
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
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69
- Maximum age
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88
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
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- Sweden
- Territory
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Across all of Sweden
- Ethnic Origin
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- Health Status
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- Other criteria
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Born between 1906 and 1925 and alive in 1994
Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
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- General population
- General Population
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- Selected sample
- Participants from existing studies
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Number of participants
- Number of participants
- 1,210
- Number of participants with biosamples
- 470
- Supplementary Information
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Of the 498 persons who participated in the first in-person testing, 470 agreed to provide biological samples.
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
GENDER - Baseline survey
|
Baseline survey consisted of questions pertaining to health status and health-related behaviors and attitudes, as well as demographics and psychosocial factors such as social support. . |
1994 | 1994 |
| 1 |
GENDER - Baseline in-person evaluation
|
Baseline in-person evaluation consisting of an interview and tests of cognitive and physical functioning. |
1995 | 1997 |
| 2 |
GENDER - Follow-up 1
|
Follow-up study included an interview and tests of cognitive and physical functioning. |
1999 | 2001 |
| 3 |
GENDER - Follow-up 2
|
Folow-up study included an interview and tests of cognitive and physical functioning. |
2003 | 2005 |
| 4 |
GENDER - Follow-up survey
|
Follow-up survey mailed to all living twins from the first mailed survey. |
2007 | 2007 |