Longitudinal Design of the Berlin Aging Study (BASE) and Contents of Data Collection

The longitudinal follow-up of BASE participants has taken two main routes. First, survivors of the initial N = 516 sample were recontacted and asked to participate again in the Berlin Aging Study. In 1993-1994, a minimal interim follow-up took place with the N = 431 (83.5%) of the baseline sample who had survived. Of these, N = 361 (83.8%) participated fully in the single-session repeat of the multidisciplinary Intake Assessment. Further, on two occasions, 1995-1996 and 1997-1998, there were repeats of the multidisciplinary Intensive Protocol (reduced to 6 sessions). The second longitudinal strategy has involved following the sample for mortality. Table 2 summarizes the longitudinal design of the Berlin Aging Study.

Table 2:

Longitudinal Design of the Berlin Aging Study (BASE):
Assessments at each Occasion of Measurement

 
Occasion of Measurement
 
Time 1
(1990-93)
Time 2
(1993-94)
Time 3
(1995-96)
Time 4
(1997-98)
Time 5
(2000)
Time 6
(2004-05)
Time 7
(2005)

Assessment

 
Intensive Protocol in

14 sessions:
Short Protocol in

1 session:
Reduced Intensive Protocol in

6 sessions:
Reduced Intensive
Protocol in

6 sessions:
Reduced Intensive
Protocol in

3 sessions:
Reduced Intensive
Protocol in

3 sessions:
Reduced Intensive
Protocol in

1 sessions:

 
1 Multidisciplinary
Intake Assessment

3 Psychiatry

3 Sociology

4 Geriatrics

3 Psychology
1 Multidisciplinary
Intake Assessment
1 Multidisciplinary
Intake Assessment

1 Psychiatry

1 Sociology

1 Geriatrics

1 Psychology

1 Everyday competence
1 Multidisciplinary
Intake Assessment

1 Psychiatry

1 Sociology

1 Geriatrics

1 Psychology

1 Everyday competence
1 Multidisciplinary
Intake Assessment

2 Psychology

1 Geriatrics
1 Multidisciplinary
Intake Assessment

2 Psychology

1 Geriatrics
1 Multidisciplinary
Intake Assessment

Intake Assessment completed
N = 516
N = 361
N = 244
N = 164
N = 88
N = 47
N = 38

Intensive Protocol completed
N = 516
-
N = 206
N = 132
N = 82
N = 46
-

Survivors from the core sample
-
N = 431
N = 313
N = 239
N = 164

Table 3 contains an overview of the main topics of data collection in the BASE longitudinal study for each research unit.

Table 3: Contents of Data Collection in the BASE longitudinal study

Multidisciplinary Intake Assessment

Main topics

Constructs/Indicators (Examples)

Demography

Age, education, marital status, etc.

Subjective Health

Physical Health; mental Health; memory; health Changes

Functional Capacity

Activities of Daily Living (ADL); physical performance

Changes in the past 12 months

Report of events

Objective Health

Anthropometry

Self and Personality

Well-being; Life satisfaction; "Selective optimization with compensation" (SOC)

Dementia

Dementia-screening

Intellectual Functioning

Perceptual speed; fluency

Depression

Depressive symptoms in the past 4 weeks

Treatment Needs

Medication; needs for nursing care

Social Activities

Satisfaction; changes in the past 12 months

Social Participation

Voting behavior

Income

Income and savings
Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Unit

Main topics

Constructs/Indicators (Examples)

Objective Health

Cardiovascular system; musculosceletal system; respiratory system; renal system; sensory system; anthropometry; morbidity profiles and courses

Functional Capacity

Activities of Daily Living (ADL); balance, coordination; mobility

Medication and Treatment Needs

Analyses of medication; risks of medication

Reference Values

Renal function; blood formation; calcium metabolism; glucose metabolism
Psychiatry Unit

Main topics

Constructs/Indicators (Examples)

General Psychopathology

Clinical diagnosis

Dementia Syndrome

Clinical diagnosis; differential diagnosis; test cut-off; neuropsychological tests

Depression

Clinical diagnosis; differential diagnosis; rating scales

Sleep

Interview on sleep behavior

Treatment Needs

Medication

Everyday Competence

Activity profiles; basic vs. expanded competence
Psychology Unit

Main topics

Constructs/Indicators (Examples)

Intelligence and Intellectual Functioning

Perceptual speed; reasoning; word fluency; knowledge; memory

Self and Personality

Personality dimensions; self-concept; self-regulatory processes

Social Relationships

Network structure; closeness/distance of persons; losses; social support; satisfaction with relationships, changes of the network
Sociology and Social Policy Unit

Main topics

Constructs/Indicators (Examples)

Social Participation

Activity level; religiosity; media consumption; political participation: voting behavior, political tendency, interest in politics

Later Phases of the Family Life Cycle

Current household structure/housing situation, changes since the last interview; changes in the structure of the family since the last interview (death of partner, death of children etc.); frequency of contacts with the children and grandchildren; intergenerational financial transfers; instrumental support between the generations; current quality of the social relationships with children and grandchildren, and in comparison to the past

Utilization of Social Support and Nursing Care

Need of care; received support from children and grandchildren; household help and nursing care; division of labor in the household; aids in the household

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