Age 55 survey of the 1958 National Child Development Study launches

The age 55 survey of the 1958 National Child Development Study (NCDS) has now begun. Approximately 11,500 cohort members will be invited to take part.

At age 55, many participants will be experiencing major transitions in their lives. People often start planning for their retirements, and family lives and caring responsibilities may well change. This is also an age when significant health inequalities begin to emerge. The cohort members will be asked how their circumstances have changed – or stayed the same – since they were last visited at age 50.

This is the ninth survey to be carried out since the cohort members were first visited at birth in 1958. It will collect information on a range of new topics, including:

• retirement expectations
• housing wealth
• looking after grandchildren.

For the first time in any CLS study, many cohort members will be invited to complete the survey online. Those not participating online will be contacted by telephone.

Professor Alissa Goodman, Principal Investigator of the NCDS, said: “The 1958 cohort members are now approaching a very important time in their lives and the age 55 survey will provide valuable data for researchers in the years to come.”

“The survey will build upon the wealth of information we have collected throughout the cohort members’ lives so far and help place the NCDS as a leading resource for research into healthy ageing and older life.”

“The success of the study would not be possible without the cohort members’ participation over many years and we are hugely grateful for their ongoing support.”

The survey is being conducted by TNS-BMRB and is expected to run until January 2014.

Are you a 1958 cohort member?

If your contact details have changed since we last got in touch with you, please let us know by completing the online contact form.