Cognitive Function and Ageing Study - Wales: Waves 1-2, 2011-2016

The <I>Cognitive Function and Ageing Study - Wales</I> (CFAS-Wales) is a longitudinal study looking at health and cognitive function in older people living in Wales, building on the design and infrastructure of the successful Cognitive Function and Ageing Study collaboration (CFAS). <br>
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Recruitment for CFAS Wales began in 2011 with the follow up wave (2 years after initial interview) being completed in early 2016.This study provides data complementing that from an earlier survey conducted in the mid 1990s (CFAS-I), and is closely linked to the MRC-CFAS II project based in three sites in England. MRC CFAS I (1989–2011) included six centres across England and Wales - Cambridgeshire, Gwynedd, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford and Liverpool. CFAS II (2008 onwards) included three centres in England - Cambridgeshire, Newcastle and Nottingham. Both studies are available from the <a href="http://www.cfas.ac.uk/" title="Cognitive Function and Ageing Study">Cognitive Function and Ageing Study</a> website. Information about CFAS-Wales is available from the <a href="http://www.cfas.ac.uk/cfas-wales/" title="CFAS-Wales">CFAS-Wales</a> webpages and the <a href="http://cfaswales.bangor.ac.uk/index.php.en" title="CFAS-Wales Bangor University">CFAS-Wales Bangor University</a> website<br>
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Following on from CFAS-I, the present study established a new cohort of 3,500 older people (aged 65+) enabling an evaluation of changes that have occurred over the last 15 years in lifestyle, including exercise and activities, and people's expectations of ageing, services and families, to be conducted. At wave 2, 2,237 people were re-interviewed. The initial sample was drawn at random from GP lists in the participating areas, with equal numbers from those aged 65-75 and those over 75. People living in care homes were included in the sample. Participants were interviewed in English or Welsh, according to their preference. The aims of CFAS Wales were broad and include examinations of activity and participation, social networks and social resources, health and cognitive function, cognitive reserve and lifestyle factors, resilience and adaptation and environmental influences. The standard CFAS interview has been augmented for CFAS Wales with additional measures relating to loneliness, life satisfaction, resilience, use of Welsh (and other) language(s), and (at wave 2) personality, social cohesion, financial resources and access to services. The interview at each wave includes the CAMCOG cognitive tests, and allows the AGECAT diagnostic algorithms to be run, for dementia, depression and anxiety disorders.<br>
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