[Gerontologic research in the Netherlands in 1985. Basic data on the main issues of aging and senescence]

An inventory of the current gerontological research in the Netherlands has been made by the Steering Committee for Research on Aging (SOOM). The results are compared with data of 1977. In terms of effort in man-years (MY) the research has almost tripled. The investment in current research was 192 MY versus 71 in 1977. In biomedical research 49 MY were spent vs. 23 in 1977; in medical 60 vs. 19 in 1977; in social medical 8 (this category was not used in 1977); and in behavioral and social research 37 and in applied social 38 vs. 29 for all social gerontological research in 1977. 50% of all research is conducted by projects, 44% by projects within a program and 5% in programs, in which however a quarter of the total MY is spent. Applied social research is mainly project-bound (66%), biology only for 28%. The average duration of the research varies from 4.5 years (biology) to 1.5 years (applied social research). Almost 60% of the current research is carried out within universities. 5 of them invest more than 5 MY in gerontological research. The institute with the greatest effort in MY is a non-university institute (the Institute of Experimental Gerontology TNO, Rijswijk, with two extensive programs). In 70% of the university research the university contributes more or less financially. In (medical)biological gerontology the central and peripheral nervous system is the most frequently studied subject (especially dementia). In medical gerontology dementia is the main subject; and in social gerontology home care and extra- and intramural care.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)