Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is a large, national, long-term study that will follow approximately 50,000 men and women between the ages of 45 and 85 for at least 20 years. The study will collect information on the changing biological, medical, psychological, social, lifestyle and economic aspects of people’s lives. These factors will be studied in order to understand how, individually and in combination, they have an impact in both maintaining health and in the development of disease and disability as people age.
- Start Year
- 2002
Visit CLSA
| Investigators | Contacts |
|---|---|
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Design
- Study design
- Cohort
Marker Paper
Raina PS, Wolfson C, Kirkland SA, Griffith LE, Oremus M, Patterson C, Tuokko H, Penning M, Balion CM, Hogan D, Wister A, Payette H, Shannon H, and Brazil K, The Canadian longitudinal study on aging (CLSA). Can J Aging, 2009. 28(3): p. 221-9.
PUBMED 19860977
Recruitment
- Sources of Recruitment
-
- Individuals
Number of participants
- Number of participants
- 50,000
- Number of participants with biosamples
- 30,000
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
| Data | |
| Biosamples | |
| Other |
Timeline
Populations
The CLSA Tracking is comprised of over 20 000 participants who completed the telephone interview, and is a representative sample of the Canadian population.
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
-
45
- Maximum age
-
85
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
-
- Canada
- Other criteria
-
Language: Individuals who are able to respond in either French or English.
Exclusion criteria: The CLSA uses the same exclusion criteria as the Statistics Canada Canadian Community Health Survey – Healthy Aging. Excluded from the study are:
- Residents of the three territories
- Full-time members of the Canadian Forces
- Individuals living in long-term care institutions (i.e., those providing 24-hour nursing care) will be excluded at baseline. However, those living in households and transitional housing arrangements (e.g., seniors’ residences, in which only minimal care is provided) will be included. CLSA cohort participants who become institutionalized during the course of the study will continue to be followed either through personal or proxy interview.
- Persons living on reserves and other Aboriginal settlements. However, individuals who are of First Nations descent who live outside reserves are included in the study.
- Individuals with cognitive impairment at baseline
Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
-
- General population
- Participants from existing studies
- General Population
-
- Selected sample
- Random digit dialing
- Supplementary Information
-
Provincial health registration databases are an additional source of recruitment for the telephone interview.
- Participants from existing studies
-
- Statistics Canada Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) – Healthy Aging 4.2
Number of participants
- Number of participants
- 21,242
- Number of participants with biosamples
- 0
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
Baseline (Tracking)
|
The first selection of the Tracking participants started in late 2008 in collaboration with Statistics Canada CCHS Healthy Aging module. The completion of the computer assisted telephone (CATI) ... |
2011-09 | 2014-05 |
| 0 |
Maintaining contact baseline (Tracking)
|
The maintaining contact interviews for the Tracking participants commenced in September 2013. |
2013-09 | 2015 |
| 0 |
Follow-Up One (Tracking)
|
The first follow-up of interviews for the Tracking participants is anticipated to begin in Spring 2015 and take two years to complete. |
2015-04 | 2017 |
The CLSA Comprehensive will be comprised of approximately 30 000 participants, undergoing both the in-home interview and visit of one of the 11 data collection sites (DCS) for a complete set of clinical, biological and physical measures. It is a representative sample of the Canadian population.
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
-
45
- Maximum age
-
85
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
-
- Canada
- Territory
-
Victoria, Vancouver, Surrey, Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal, Sherbrooke, Halifax, and St. John’s.
- Other criteria
-
The exclusion criteria are as follows:
Individuals who are unable to respond in either French or English.
Cognitively impaired individuals at the time of recruitment.
The CLSA furthermore uses the same exclusion criteria as the Statistics Canada Canadian Community Health Survey - Healthy Aging 4.2:
- Residents of the three territories.
- Full-time members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
- Individuals living in long-term care institutions (i.e., those providing 24-hour nursing care) will be excluded at baseline. However, those living in households and transitional housing arrangements (e.g., seniors’ residences, in which only minimal care is provided) will be included. CLSA cohort participants who become institutionalized during the course of the study will continue to be followed either through personal or proxy interview.
- Persons living on reserves and other Aboriginal settlements. However, individuals who are of First Nations descent who live outside reserves are included in the study.
Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
-
- General population
- General Population
-
- Selected sample
- Random digit dialing
- Supplementary Information
-
Individuals residing within a 25-50 kilometre radius of the 11 data collection sites (Victoria, Vancouver, Surrey, Calgary, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal, Sherbrooke, Halifax, and St. John’s) are the only areas included for Comprehensive participants. Provincial health registration databases are an additional source of recruitment for in-home interviews and DCS visits.
Number of participants
- Number of participants
- 30,000
- Number of participants with biosamples
- 30,000
- Supplementary Information
-
30,000 is the target number of Comprehensive participants with samples, to be reached in 2015.
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
Baseline (Comprehensive)
|
The recruitment of over 30,000 Comprehensive participants, completing both the in-home interview and data collection site (DCS) visit, started in May 2012 and will finish in Spring 2015. |
2012-05 | 2015-05 |
| 0 |
Maintaining contact baseline (Comprehensive)
|
The maintaining contact interviews for the Comprehensive participants started in May 2014. |
2014-05 | 2016 |
| 0 |
Follow-up one (Comprehensive)
|
The first follow-up of interviews and DCS visits for the Comprehensive participants is anticipated to begin in Spring 2015 and take three years to complete. |
2015-05 | 2018 |
Classifications
- Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
- Lifestyle and health behaviours
- Health status and functional limitations
- Diseases
- Symptoms and signs
- Medication and supplements
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Health and community care utilization
- Reproduction
- Birth, infancy and childhood
- End of life
- Physical measures
- Cognition, personality and other psychological measures
- Laboratory measures
- Social environment
- Physical environment
- Administrative information
Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
Lifestyle and health behaviours
Health status and functional limitations
Diseases
Symptoms and signs
Medication and supplements
Non-pharmacological interventions
Health and community care utilization
Reproduction
Birth, infancy and childhood
Physical measures
Cognition, personality and other psychological measures
Social environment
Physical environment
Administrative information