Worldwide cohort studies to support healthy ageing research: data availabilities and gaps

Saman Khalatbari-Soltani; Yafei Si; Marielle Dominguez; Tabitha Scott; Fiona M Blyth

doi:10.1016/j.arr.2024.102277

Worldwide cohort studies to support healthy ageing research: data availabilities and gaps

Ageing Res Rev. 2024 Apr:96:102277. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102277. Epub 2024 Mar 17.

Authors

Saman Khalatbari-Soltani¹, Yafei Si², Marielle Dominguez², Tabitha Scott³, Fiona M Blyth⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: saman.khalatbarisoltani@sydney.edu.au.
² ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), UNSW Business School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
³ ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), UNSW Business School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Demography, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
⁴ School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

PMID: 38499160
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102277

Abstract

Background: Population ageing is a transforming demographic force. To support evidence-based efforts for promoting healthy ageing, a summary of data availabilities and gaps to study ageing is needed.

Method: Through a multifaceted search strategy, we identified relevant cohort studies worldwide to studying ageing and provided a summary of available pertinent measurements. Following the World Health Organization's definition of healthy ageing, we extracted information on intrinsic capacity domains and sociodemographic, social, and environmental factors.

Results: We identified 287 cohort studies. South America, the Middle East, and Africa had a limited number of cohort studies to study ageing compared to Europe, Oceania, Asia, and North America. Data availabilities of different measures varied substantially by location and study aim. Using the information collected, we developed a web-based Healthy Ageing Toolkit to facilitate healthy ageing research.

Conclusions: The comprehensive summary of data availability enables timely evidence to contribute to the United Nations Decades of Healthy Ageing goals of promoting healthy ageing for all. Highlighted gaps guide strategies for increased data collection in regions with limited cohort studies. Comprehensive data, encompassing intrinsic capacity and various sociodemographic, social, and environmental factors, is crucial for advancing our understanding of healthy ageing and its underlying pathways.

Keywords: Ageing cohort study; Data; Healthy Ageing; Longitudinal study.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aging
Cohort Studies
Europe
Health Status
Healthy Aging*
Humans