English Longitudinal Study of Ageing: Harmonised Cognitive Assessment Protocol, 2018

<p>The Harmonised Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) is part of the <a title="Healthy Cognitive Aging Project" href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology-health-care/research/bsh/research/psychobiology/healthy-cognitive-ageing-project-elsa-hcap">Healthy Cognitive Aging Project</a>, a study examining how people's memory and thinking change as they get older. In England, HCAP is a sub-study of ELSA, the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), a longitudinal survey of ageing and quality of life among older people that explores the dynamic relationships between health and functioning, social networks and participation, and economic position as people plan for, move into and progress beyond retirement. (The main ELSA study is held under SN 5050.)</p> <p>ELSA HCAP interviewed ELSA core members aged 65 and over, and included a second, shorter interview with an informant, who was a family member or friend nominated by the ELSA core member to complete an interview on their behalf. </p> <div>The HCAP study originated with the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) in the United States, which is a sister study to ELSA, a longitudinal study of people aged 50 and over in the United States. Researchers on HRS developed the protocols for HCAP, in discussion with researchers from ELSA and other international studies, and fieldwork in the United States began while ELSA HCAP in England was still in the planning stages.</div> <div> <div>The aim of ELSA HCAP is to measure the prevalence of dementia and cognitive impairment among older people in the ELSA panel, in order to:</div> <ul><li>Understand more about how widespread these conditions are in England and increase our understanding of dementia;</li><li>Test how well the cognitive assessments used in this study can identify these conditions.</li></ul> </div>