What we do

The primary objective of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) is to collect longitudinal multidisciplinary data from a representative sample of the English population aged 50 and older.

We collect both objective and subjective data relating to health and disability, biological markers of disease, economic circumstance, social participation, networks and well-being. ELSA aims to measure outcomes across a wide range of domains and to provide high-quality multidisciplinary data that can shed light on the causes and consequences of outcomes of interest. Current funding for ELSA will extend the panel to 12 years of study, giving significant potential for longitudinal analyses to examine causal processes.

The survey data are designed to be used for the investigation of a broad set of topics relevant to understanding the ageing process. These include:

• health trajectories, disability and healthy life expectancy;
• the determinants of economic position in older age;
• the links between economic position, physical health, cognition and mental health;
• the nature and timing of retirement and post-retirement labour market activity;
• household and family structure, social networks and social supports;
• patterns, determinants and consequences of social, civic and cultural participation;
• predictors of well-being.

In each of these domains, we aim to use high-quality measures.