The Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA) is a collaborative effort of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA). The Supplement on Aging (SOA), conducted in conjunction with the 1984 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), served as the baseline for the study. The LSOA is a prospective study with a nationally representative sample comprised of 7,527 civilian noninstitutionalized persons 70 years of age and over at the time of their 1984 SOA interview. The LSOA followed this cohort of older persons through three followup interviews, conducted in 1986, 1988, and 1990. While the baseline interview was administered face-to-face in the home, followup interviews were administered using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI). All interviews were obtained by U.S. Census Bureau interviewers. The interview data is augmented by linkage to Medicare records, the National Death Index, and multiple cause-of-death records.
The LSOA data file contains information collected from multiple sources: the 1984 NHIS, the 1984 Health Insurance Supplement, the 1984 baseline SOA and all three followup LSOA interviews. It also includes data from Medicare claims records, the National Death Index, and multiple cause of death files. Below is an overview of data file variables at a glance:
The LSOA sample is representative of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population 70 years of age and over in 1984. Baseline geographic indicators include the four major census regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West), type of primary sampling unit (based on 1970 census), and 1980 county adjacency codes.
The latest version of the LSOA (Version 5) is available on CD-ROM: The Longitudinal Study of Aging, 1984-1990, No. 1 (issued September 1993). This CD-ROM includes all data listed above under Data File Contents, except for the multiple cause of death data. The latter are available on diskettes. Details are provided below. To request a copy of the CD-ROM or diskettes, e-mail nchsquery@cdc.gov or telephone (301) 458-INFO.
Product |
Year |
CD-ROM: LSOA, Version 5 | |
Interview data | 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990 |
NDI data1 | 1990 |
Medicare Part A, Hospital record | 1991 |
Medicare Parts A and B, Other Use record | 1991 |
Diskettes: Match data | |
NDI data1 | 1991 |
Multiple cause-of-death data | 1989 |
Medicare Part A, Hospital record | 1991 |
Medicare Parts A and B, Other Use record | 1991 |
1NDI data include fact of death, date of death, and match status code. |
Detailed descriptions of the survey are published in reports of the Vital and Health Statistics, Series 1, Number 21 and Number 28. The LSOA questionnaires are provided in Appendices III-V of Series 1, Number 28.
National Center for Health
Statistics
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nchsquery@cdc.gov
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