Social Variations in Health in Early Old Age : Investigation of Precursors in a 60 Year Follow-up Study, 1997-2004

The original aims of this project in 1997 were:<ul><li>to investigate the processes which generate variations in health in early old age, specifically cumulative differential exposure to health damaging physical environments and their interaction with health</li><li>to identify the respective contributions of childhood circumstances, including health, of adult events and behaviours and of current circumstances to variations in health in early old age</li><li>to collect detailed information on the lives of a random sample of a unique survey population, for use during analyses of the whole survey population. This dataset offers the rare opportunity to examine the development of health and disease across the whole life- course</li><li>to use a research method which has been developed specifically for such purposes</li><li>to produce results which will increase understanding of, and aid the efficient allocation of resources to, an age group which experiences high morbidity and considerable need for medical care</li></ul>The 2000 project followed participants who were originally interviewed in 1997. The study sought to develop a new, theoretically informed measure of quality of life in early old age, examining whether and to what extent people experience a<br> ‘Third Age’ of independence and satisfaction during the post-retirement phase of life, and what factors may influence this experience.<br> <br> The 2004 project followed participants who were interviewed in both 1997 and 2000. The aim of this study was to identify, in a small cohort, contextual and life course influences on change in quality of life and physiological status through early old age.<br> <br> For the second edition (June 2008), follow-up data for 2000 and 2004 were added to the original 1997 data. Additional documentation was also made available.<br> <br>