Engaging the oldest old in research: lessons from the Newcastle 85+ study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• The population aged 85 and over is rapidly expanding, necessitating comprehensive health data for planning.
• Existing research often excludes the oldest old, creating a knowledge gap in understanding their health.
• The Newcastle 85+ Study aims to address this by examining the health of this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the methods for recruiting and retaining a cohort of 85-year-olds.
• To investigate the health of the oldest old from biological, medical, and psychosocial perspectives.
• To inform future research and planning for the aging population.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment targeted individuals born in 1921 within specific UK general practices.
• Health assessments were conducted in participants' homes or via medical record review.
• Ethical considerations regarding capacity and consent for those with cognitive impairment were addressed.

Main Results:

• A 72% recruitment rate (1042/1453) was achieved, with 59% consenting to full assessment and record review.
• Successful recruitment hinged on protected engagement time, minimizing participant burden (e.g., home assessments), and flexible approaches.
• Attrition at 18 months included 10% withdrawal (with data use approval) and 16% due to death.

Conclusions:

• The study achieved favorable recruitment rates compared to similar international longitudinal studies.
• Effective strategies for engaging and retaining the oldest old in research were identified.
• Findings facilitate better representation of this growing population in future aging research.