Skip to main content
Researchdata.se

SWEOLD - Swedish panel study of living conditions of the oldest old

SWEOLD is a nationally representative survey of the older population in Sweden. The sample consists of individuals previously included in the selection of Swedish Level of Living Survey (LNU), who have passed the LNU age ceiling of 75 years. The first survey was carried out in 1992. Further waves were conducted in 2002, 2004, 2010, 2014 and 2021. In 2004 and 2014, the survey included people who were aged 70 and older. In 2021 we had three additional samples; one national sample to ensure the survey continues to be nationally representative, one for Dalarna and one for Stockholm. SWEOLD data is linked to the LNU, that has been conducted regularly since 1968. This longitudinal database thus provides the opportunity to follow individuals over a 50-year period. In addition to the panel sample, SWEOLD also comprises an additional representative sample of older women and men. As each wave of LNU and SWEOLD is nationally representative, the data can also be used for cross-sectional analyses. The questionnaire covers a wide variety of areas of concern to elderly people, such as mobility and activities of daily living (ADL and IADL), as well as health, housing, economy, family, political resources and leisure activities. Various tests are included to measure the physical and cognitive ability of these individuals. Indirect interviews are used when a respondent is unable to participate in the interview directly due to physical or cognitive disabilities. Next of kin or professional caregivers are used as proxies. The questionnaires are in Swedish and show the exact phrasing and response categories for each question. The codebooks, written in English, contain information on SWEOLD’s survey design, sample, response rate and the fieldwork. For each question/variable, there is information on variable construction, frequencies and standard deviations, as well as a reference to corresponding/comparable variables in previous data waves (including Levnadsnivåundersökningen).
Go to data source
Opens in a new tab
https://www.sweold.se
Download documentation (15 files / 40.28 MiB)

Documentation files

  • 0602_02kb.pdf
    1.88 MiB
  • 0602_04eq.pdf
    125.92 KiB
  • 0602_04kb.pdf
    886.52 KiB
  • codebook1992.pdf
    10.33 MiB
  • codebook2002.pdf
    6.85 MiB
  • codebook2004.pdf
    2.82 MiB
  • codebook2011.pdf
    4.45 MiB
  • codebook2014.pdf
    2.57 MiB
  • codebook2021.pdf
    6.34 MiB
  • frageformular1992.pdf
    852.1 KiB
  • frageformular2002.pdf
    172.36 KiB
  • frageformular2004.pdf
    48.98 KiB
  • frageformular2010.pdf
    547.26 KiB
  • frageformular2014.pdf
    497.25 KiB
  • frageformular2021.pdf
    1.99 MiB

Citation and access

Data access level:

Creator/Principal investigator(s):

  • Olle Lundberg - Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University - Aging Research Center (ARC)
  • Mats Thorslund - Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University - Aging Research Center (ARC)
  • Carin Lennartsson - Karolinska Institutet - Aging Research Center (ARC)
  • Johan Fritzell - Karolinska Institutet - Aging Research Center (ARC)

Research principal:

Data contains personal data:

Yes

Type of personal data:

Pseudonymised data

Code key exists:

Yes

Sensitive personal data:

Yes

Citation:

Language:

Method and outcome

Unit of analysis:

Population:

The Swedish population aged 75 and older

Study design:

  • Observational study
  • Cohort study
  • Cohort study: Prospective

Sampling procedure:

Description of sampling:

The sample has varied slightly between the survey years. The sample for each year is specified below. 1992: Those who previously had been interviewed at least once in the Swedish Level of Living Surveys (LNU), and were aged 77 and older. 2002: Those who had been included in the sample of any of the previous LNU studies, and were aged 76 and older. 2004: Those who had been included in the sample of any of the previous LNU studies, and were aged 69 and older. 2011: Those who had been included in the sample of any of the previous LNU studies, and were aged 76 and older. There was also an additional representative sample of people who were 85–99 years old. 2014: Those who had been included in the sample of any of the previous LNU studies, and were aged 70 and older. The survivors from the additional sample drawn in 2011 were also included in the 2014 survey. 2021: In 2021 we had three additional samples; one national sample to ensure the survey continues to be nationally representative, one for Dalarna and one for Stockholm.

Time period(s) investigated:

Description of the response rate/participation rate:

1992: 95.4% 2002: 84.4% 2004: 87.3% 2011: 86.2% 2014: 84.3% 2021: 63.5%

Data format/data structure:

Data collections 6 collections

Data collection Face-to-face interview

Mode of collection:

Face-to-face interview

Description of the mode of collection:

Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 453 out of 537 respondents, the remaining interviews were proxy interviews with a close relative or care staff.

Time period(s) for data collection:

1992-01-01 - 1992-04-01

Sample size:

563

Number of responses:

537

Source of the data:

  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Administrative
  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Medical/Clinical
  • Population group
  • Registers/Records/Accounts

Data collection Face-to-face interview

Mode of collection:

Face-to-face interview

Time period(s) for data collection:

2002-08-30 - 2003-03-31

Source of the data:

  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Administrative
  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Medical/Clinical
  • Population group
  • Registers/Records/Accounts

Data collection Face-to-face interview

Mode of collection:

Face-to-face interview

Time period(s) for data collection:

2004-09-29 - 2005-03-19

Source of the data:

  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Administrative
  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Medical/Clinical
  • Population group
  • Registers/Records/Accounts

Data collection Face-to-face interview

Mode of collection:

Face-to-face interview

Time period(s) for data collection:

2010-10-01 - 2011-09-30

Source of the data:

  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Administrative
  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Medical/Clinical
  • Population group
  • Registers/Records/Accounts

Data collection Interview

Mode of collection:

Interview

Time period(s) for data collection:

2014-09-09 - 2015-12-19

Sample size:

1539

Number of responses:

1297

Non response size:

242

Source of the data:

  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Administrative
  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Medical/Clinical
  • Population group
  • Registers/Records/Accounts

Data collection Interview

Mode of collection:

Interview

Time period(s) for data collection:

2021 - 2021

Sample size:

1335

Number of responses:

848

Non response size:

487

Source of the data:

  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Administrative
  • Registers/Records/Accounts: Medical/Clinical
  • Population group
  • Registers/Records/Accounts

Geographic coverage

Geographic location:

Administrative information

Responsible department/unit:

Aging Research Center (ARC)

Ethics Review:

Swedish Ethical Review Authority - 2019-06324; 2020-04118

Funding

Funding agency:

  • Swedish Research Council

Award number:

2001-6651

Funding agency:

  • Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of Research

Award number:

910245:6-5/86

Funding agency:

  • Swedish Council for Social Research

Award number:

91-0150

Funding agency:

  • Swedish Medical Research Council

Award number:

B92-27Ä-09997-01

Funding agency:

  • Swedish Research Council

Award number:

2009-6183

Topic and keywords

Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2025:

Keywords:

Relations

Homepage:

Publications

Link to publication list:

Citation:

Lennartsson C, Agahi N, Hols Salén L, Kelfve S, Kåreholt I, Lundberg O, Parker, M.G., & Thorslund, M. 2014. Data Resource Profile: The Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old (SWEOLD). International Journal of Epidemiology, 43(3), 731-738, DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyu057.

Links:

Contact

Metadata

Version 1
doris
su_en
Published:|Updated: