New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study
Networks
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Datasets
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Variables
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The New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study (NZHWR) is a longitudinal study of people aged 55 years and over conducted by the Health and Ageing Research Team at Massey University.
The NZHWR study aims to track and describe factors associated with health, retirement and "ageing well" in the older New Zealand population, and features an oversampling of Māori participants so as to adequately represent this section of the older New Zealand community.
- Start Year
- 2006
- Supplementary Information
Visit NZHWR
| Investigators | Contacts |
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Design
- Study design
- Cohort
- Follow Up
- Every two years, people who have previously filled out a questionnaire are re-surveyed. Follow-up surveys occurred in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022. Off-wave surveys have also been administered in 2009, 2013 and 2021. Face-to-face cognitive interviews have been conducted with subsamples in 2010 and 2012 and life course history interviews have been conducted with the original Wave 1 (2006) cohort in 2017. De-identified administrative data from national health databases are linked on a biennial basis for consenting participants.
- Supplementary Information
- The NZHWR study began in 2006 as a cohort-based study following a cohort of New Zealanders aged 55–70 at Wave 1. Additional cohorts have been recruited in 2009 (49-89 years old), in 2010 (50-84 years old), in 2014 (55-65 years old), in 2016 (55-65 years old), in 2018 (55-57 years old), in 2020 (55-65 years old) and in 2022 (55-65 years old).
Marker Paper
Allen J, Alpass F M, and Stephens C V. New Zealand health, work and retirement longitudinal study. In: Gu, D., Dupre, M.E. (eds) Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021; 3484-3490. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22009-9_977
Recruitment
- Recruitment Target
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- Individuals
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- No Limit
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- Supplementary Information
- The study has enrolled approximately 9,000 older adults since 2006. The operational target is maintaining a wave size of roughly 6,000+ participants
Access
Availability of data and biosamples
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| Possible Access to Biosamples | |
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Timeline
NZHWR population
The NZHWR population comprises older adults who live in New Zealand and were randomly sampled from the New Zealand Electoral Roll.
Selection Criteria
- Minimum age
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49
- Maximum age
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89
- Newborns
- Twins
- Countries
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- New Zealand
- Ethnic Origin
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- Health Status
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- Supplementary Information about selection criteria
- Participants must be registered on the New Zealand electoral roll and have a New Zealand postal address to be selected. At Wave 1 (2006), New Zealanders aged 55 to 77 (born 1936-1952) were recruited. Additional cohorts have been recruited in 2009 (born 1920-1960), in 2010 (born 1926-1960), in 2014 (born 1949-1959), in 2016 (born 1951-1961), in 2018 (born 1961-1963), in 2020 (born 1954-1964) and in 2022 (born 1956-1966)
Recruitment
- Sources of recruitment
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- General population
- Specific population
- General Population
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- Selected sample
- Specific Population
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- Other specific population : Māori
- Supplementary Information
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Participants were randomly sampled from the electoral roll. In Waves 1 (2006), 3 (2010), 5 (2014), 6 (2016), 7 (2018), 8 (2020) and 9 (2022) an oversample of persons indicated on the electoral roll as being of Māori descent was undertaken to ensure that this sub-group is represented adequately.
Number of Participants
- Number of Participants
- No Limit
- Number of Participants with Biological Samples
- Supplementary Information about selection criteria
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Wave 1 (2006) : 6661 participants
Wave 2 (2008) : 2474 participants
Wave 3 (2010) : 3311 participants
Wave 4 (2012) : 2984 participants
Wave 5 (2014) : 3052 participants
Wave 6 (2016) : 4029 participants
Wave 7 (2018) : 3963 participants
Wave 8 (2020) : 4350 participants
Wave 9 (2022) : TBC
Data Collection Events
| # | Name | Description | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 |
NZHWR - Wave 1
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire. The questionnaire included sections on health (SF-36 health survey; chronic disease; alcohol consumption (AUDIT-C); health care utilisation; tobacco ... | 2006 | 2006 |
| 1 |
NZHWR - Wave 2
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire. The questionnaire included sections on health (SF-36 health survey; chronic disease; healthcare utilization; prescription drug use; tobacco use; ... | 2008 | 2008 |
| 2 |
NZHWR - Off-wave 1
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire and concerned the additional cohort recruited in 2009 (born 1920-1960). The postal questionnaire included sections on health (SF-12 health survey ... | 2009 | 2009 |
| 3 |
NZHWR - Wave 3
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire. The questionnaire included sections on health (SF-12 health survey; chronic disease; depression (CESD-10); alcohol use (AUDIT-C); physical activity; ... | 2010 | 2010 |
| 4 |
NZHWR - Wave 4
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire. The postal questionnaire included sections on health (SF-12 health survey; chronic disease; health care usage; depression (CESD-10); alcohol use ... | 2012 | 2012 |
| 5 |
NZHWR - Off-wave 2
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire and concerned the 2006 cohort. The postal questionnaire included sections on health (SF-12 health survey and PROMIS-10; chronic disease; health care ... | 2013 | 2013 |
| 6 |
NZHWR - Wave 5
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire. The postal questionnaire included sections on health (SF-12 health survey and PROMIS-10; alcohol use (AUDIT-C); tobacco use; health care usage; chronic ... | 2014 | 2014 |
| 7 |
NZHWR - Wave 6
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire. The postal questionnaire included sections gathered information on health (SF-12 health survey and PROMIS-10; depression (CESD-10); health service use; ... | 2016 | 2016 |
| 8 |
NZHWR - Life course history interviews
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Data collection was via structured telephone interview and concerned the 2006 cohort. The interview contained sections on demographic information, birth/adoption of any children and work income ... | 2017 | 2017 |
| 9 |
NZHWR - Wave 7
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Data collection was via postal questionnaire. The postal questionnaire included sections on health (SF-12 health survey; depression (CESD-10); anxiety (GAI); chronic diseases; health service use; ... | 2018 | 2018 |
| 10 |
NZHWR - Wave 8
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Data collection was via postal questionnaire. The postal questionnaire included sections on health (SF-12 health survey); depression (CESD-10); anxiety (GAI); chronic diseases; health service use; ... | 2020 | 2020 |
| 11 |
NZHWR - Off-wave 3
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire and concerned all currently active existing participants. The postal questionnaire included sections on health (SF-12 health survey); depression ... | 2021 | 2021 |
| 12 |
NZHWR - Wave 9
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Data was collected via postal questionnaire and concerned all currently active existing participants. The postal questionnaire included sections on health (SF-12 health survey); depression ... | 2022 | 2022 |
Classifications
- Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
- Lifestyle and behaviours
- Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
- Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
- Diseases
- Symptoms and signs
- Medication and supplements
- Non-pharmacological interventions
- Health and community care services utilization
- Death
- Physical measures and assessments
- Laboratory measures
- Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
- Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
- Preschool, school and work life
- Social environment and relationships
- Physical environment
- Administrative information
- Cognitive functioning
- Personality
- Psychological distress and emotions
- Other psychological measures and assessments
- Life events
- Beliefs and values
- Perception of health
- Quality of life
- Life course development
- Functional limitations
- Other perception of health, quality of life and functional limitation-related information
- Tobacco
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Nutrition
- Breastfeeding
- Physical activity
- Sleep
- Sexual behaviours and orientation
- Technological devices
- Misbehaviour and criminality
- Other and unspecified lifestyle information
Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
Age/birthdate
Sex/gender
Marital/partner status
Family and household structure
Education
Residence
Birthplace
Citizenship and immigrant status
Ethnicity, race and religion
Language
Labour force and retirement
Income, possessions, and benefits
Lifestyle and behaviours
Tobacco
Alcohol
Drugs
Nutrition
Physical activity
Transportation
Sleep
Sexual behaviours and orientation
Leisure activities
Technological devices
Misbehaviour and criminality
Other and unspecified lifestyle information
Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
Perception of health
Quality of life
Functional limitations
Use of assistive devices
Other perception of health, quality of life and functional limitation-related information
Diseases
Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
Neoplasms (C00-D48)
Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism (D50-D89)
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90)
Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)
Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99)
Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59)
Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95)
Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99)
Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)
Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93)
Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99)
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
Diseases of the genitourinary system (N00-N99)
Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T98)
External causes of morbidity and mortality (V01-Y98)
Diseases without precise specification or falling into multiple categories
Symptoms and signs
Symptoms and signs involving the digestive system and abdomen (R10-R19)
Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behaviour (R40-R46)
General symptoms and signs (R50-R69)
Symptoms related to multiple categories
Medication and supplements
Medication and supplement intake
Non-pharmacological interventions
Laboratory diagnosis interventions
Other and unspecified non-pharmacological interventions
Health and community care services utilization
Visits to health professionals
Hospitalizations
Other health and community care
Death
Vital status
Other end of life or death-related information
Physical measures and assessments
Anthropometry
Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
Personality
Psychological distress and emotions
Other psychological measures and assessments
Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
Life events
Life plans
Beliefs and values
Preschool, school and work life
Work life
Social environment and relationships
Social network
Social participation
Social support
Parenting and familial environment
Other social environment characteristics
Physical environment
Housing characteristics
Built environment/neighbourhood characteristics
Other physical environment characteristics
Administrative information
Identifiers
Questionnaire and interview-related information
Data and sample collection center-related information
Other administrative information
Personality
NEO Personality Inventory
Psychological distress and emotions
Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale
Geriatric Anxiety Inventory
Other psychological measures and assessments
Psychological Meaningfulness Scale
Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale
Beliefs and values
Age-group Identification Scale
Life Engagement Test
Levenson IPC Locus of Control Scales
Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure
Perceived Stereotype Threat
Work Centrality Scale
Quality of life
CASP-12 Quality of Life Scale
EuroQol Five Dimensions Questionnaire
Happiness-Enhancing Activities and Positive Practices Inventory
Icepop Capability Measure for Older People
LEIPAD Questionnaire
Meaning in Life Scale
Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (Global Health)
Short-Form 12 Health Survey
Short-Form 36 Health Survey
Subjective Happiness Scale
World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale
Functional limitations
Activities of Daily Living
World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule
Alcohol
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
Sleep
Athens Insomnia Scale