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Longitudinal Studies and Older Adults Cohorts

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Aging Research - Methodological Issues

Abstract

Science never before faced such a complex, dynamic and time-dependent process as human aging. Longitudinal studies are a source of fundamental evidence of multi-factor changes over time, especially those that have contributed to understanding the aging process through research questions related to the course or prognosis of physical or cognitive functioning of older adults, exposure to comorbidity, health conditions, and biological, environmental, social or emotional negative or positive factors, as well as other questions related to aging.

However, these studies have major methodological challenges to keep the validity of information between standardized measurements and the generalization of the results, especially with the loss of participants due different causes. These difficulties motivated the realization of this chapter where we discussed the role of the longitudinal studies on aging, starting with methodological concepts, the importance of this design in geriatric research and the direction of new research questions, we present also a review of classic longitudinal studies taken from literature, which enable us to provide examples of scope and methodological implications, finally we suggested some strategies about strengthen the validity and generalization of results.

Longitudinal methodology represents a fundamental pillar in geriatric research. Its implementation always must to be supported by good planning that takes into account-standardized procedures as well as techniques that minimize the probable losses during the follow-up having less effect throughout the study.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Division, National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico City, Mexico

    Carmen García-Peña

  2. Research Unit in Clinical Epidemiology, West Medical Center, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

    Claudia Espinel-Bermúdez

  3. Department of Geriatric Epidemiology, National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico City, Mexico

    Pamela Tella-Vega & Mario Ulises Pérez-Zepeda

  4. National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico City, Mexico

    Luis Miguel Gutiérrez-Robledo

Authors
  1. Carmen García-Peña
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  2. Claudia Espinel-Bermúdez
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  3. Pamela Tella-Vega
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  4. Mario Ulises Pérez-Zepeda
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  5. Luis Miguel Gutiérrez-Robledo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carmen García-Peña .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico City, Mexico

    Carmen García-Peña

  2. National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico City, Mexico

    Luis Miguel Gutiérrez-Robledo

  3. National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico City, Mexico

    Mario Ulises Pérez-Zepeda

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García-Peña, C., Espinel-Bermúdez, C., Tella-Vega, P., Pérez-Zepeda, M.U., Gutiérrez-Robledo, L.M. (2018). Longitudinal Studies and Older Adults Cohorts. In: García-Peña, C., Gutiérrez-Robledo, L., Pérez-Zepeda, M. (eds) Aging Research - Methodological Issues. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95387-8_8

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