English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

Overview

Aims
The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) is a longitudinal study that collects multidisciplinary data from a representative sample of the English population aged 50 and older. The survey data are designed to be used for the investigation of a broad set of topics relevant to understanding the ageing process including economic position, physical and mental health, labour market activity, retirement and social networks.

Institution
UCL Research Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, Institute for Fiscal Studies, NatCen Social Research & University of Manchester School of Social Sciences

Geographic coverage - Nations
England

Geographic coverage - Regions
Nationwide

Start date
2002

Catalogue record last updated
11/10/2023

Sample

Sample type
Cohort Survey (Replenished); Ageing cohort

Sample details
Sample members are drawn from respondents to the Health Survey for England (HSE). Around 12,000 respondents from three separate years of the HSE survey were recruited to provide a representative sample of the English population aged 50 and over and their partners. At waves 3, 4, 6 and 7 the study was replenished with new study participants (refreshments) from HSE to maintain the size and representativeness of the panel.

Sample size at recruitment
12,100 individuals

Sample size at most recent sweep
8,445 (total) (2017 - Wave 8)
7,223 (original sample members)

Sex
All

Age at recruitment
50+

Cohort year of birth
Varied

Data

Data access
UK Data Service
https://www.elsa-project.ac.uk/accessing-elsa-data

Genetic data collected

Linkage to administrative data
Environmental data
Health data
Income/tax and benefits

HDR UK Innovation Gateway

Additional information

Website
elsa-project.ac.uk

Related themes
Covid-19 data collection, Biomarkers, Cognitive measures, Cognitive decline, Diet and nutrition, Digital technology and social media, Education, Ethnicity and race, Housing, Language and literacy, Loneliness and social isolation, Migration and immigration, Neighbourhood, Physical health assessment, Reproductive health, Sexuality and gender identity, Sleep problems, Social care - receipt, Social care - provision, Social care - need, Socioeconomic status and deprivation, Victimisation and life events, Work and employment

Key Papers

Reference paper
Cohort profile: the English longitudinal study of ageing.
doi.org/10.1093/ije/dys168

Impactful papers using study data
Social isolation, loneliness, and all-cause mortality in older men and women. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1219686110

The relationship between physical and mental health: A mediation analysis. psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.008

Childhood self-control and unemployment throughout the life span: Evidence from two British cohort studies. doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0465-1

Funders

Mental health measures timeline

Sweep name:

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Physical health measures: