Documentation
NICOLA is a public health study involving men and women aged 50 years and over living in Northern Ireland who will voluntarily be followed over a number of years. Households were identified that had people aged 50 and over living in them, a sample representative of the population of Northern Ireland was drawn from this and then the employed market research company sought the participation from appropriate members within those selected households. The study, set up by the Centre for Public Health in Queen’s University Belfast aims to provide information on the health, social and economic circumstances of ~8500 men and women as they grow older in Northern Ireland and how their circumstances may change over those coming years. The primary objective is to collect longitudinal data on physical and mental health, well-being,disability, economic circumstances, social participation and connectedness as people plan for, move into and progress beyond retirement. Information is obtained through a fieldwork survey utilising a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) and a Self Completion Questionnaire which the participant completes in their own time. These interviews will take place approximately every 2-3 years. The interviewers collect information on living arrangements, children, education, income and assets, physical and mental health, employment, lifelong learning, planning for retirement, care and social support. Questions will be asked about health, diet, work, family and social networks, income and benefit receipts, quality of life, cognitive functioning, daily activities, housing, retirement and pensions. The affect of 'the troubles' on the lives of people will also be explored. A physical health assessment is also planned for alternative waves (wave 1, wave 3, wave 5 etc.) covering cognitive measures, blood pressure, grip strength, anthropometric measurements, gait and balance, respiratory, bodystat, blood/urine samples and an ophthalmic component. Information gathered during this study will be used to inform and plan Northern Ireland Health and Social Care provision in the future, and to design other policies targeted towards older people. NICOLA will address longer term research goals to investigate the determinants of retirement behaviour and economic wellbeing, the impact of cognitive function and sensory disability on decision making, the determinants of disability trajectories, the influence of social participation on these and the interaction of genetic, biological and psychosocial determinants on health and mortality. At present there are no other studies in Northern Ireland that will look at such an array of topics that provide a fuller understanding of the ageing process.
