Overview
Dataset Summary
The Health and Retirement Study (HRS), including the original Asset and Health Dynamics among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) cohort, is a nationally representative longitudinal panel survey of community-dwelling adults aged 50 and older in the United States. HRS examines trends in aging, with extensive data on health status, cognition, physical functioning, disability, caregiving, employment, and income and financial assets.
Data are also available in a cleaned, user-friendly longitudinal file curated by the RAND Center for the Study of Aging, which facilitates longitudinal analyses. The study’s breadth of health, economic, and household-level measures makes it a cornerstone dataset for research on aging and retirement.
Caveats
- Access to certain restricted files and National Institute on Aging (NIA) linkage data requires a Data Use Agreement (DUA).
- Approval for restricted/linkage data may take approximately one year.
- As a survey-based study, measures rely on self-report for many variables.
Examples of Outcomes Examined
- Cognition and cognitive decline
- Disability and functional status
- Caregiving patterns
- Income and financial assets
Topic
Aging and Long-Term Care, Geriatrics/Palliative Care, Long-Term Care & Skilled Nursing
Resource Type
Dataset
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