Prospective Population Study of Women in Göteborg (PPSW)

The population study of women in Gothenburg is a population study based at the University of Gothenburg. The study started as a cross-sectional study in 1968 including 1462 women aged 38, 46, 50 and 60 years. The participants have after that been followed-up with regular examinations in 1974-75, 1980-81, 1992-1993, 2000-2001, 2004-2005, 2009-2010 and 2016-2017. In addition, new participants have been included. During the examinations 2004-2005 and 2016-2017, only women 38 and 50 years old were invited to participate with the purpose of enabling comparison of these age cohorts. The study comprises physical and mental disease as well as health, social and psychological circumstances and data regarding food and dental health. To study determinants among middle age women that have importance for the development of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia and other mental illness in high age is possible because of the long running follow-ups, high participant rates, and thorough mapping of non-participants and data regarding morbidity and mortality. The study covers both longitudinal trends (change in individuals over time) and secular trends (changes in the population over time). This implies the possibility to study e.g. whether the increased consumption of oestrogenic hormones and new antidepressive agents in the population has influenced the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression and the proportion that are under treatment. The long-running follow-up has also made it possible to study the long term prognosis for these diseases and whether the risk for prolonged illness increases with older age. In addition, women from different birth cohorts are examined at certain ages to investigate secular trends in health related variables, such as obesity and dental health. The questionnaires have been changed as little as possible between each survey. The population study of women in Gothenburg collaborates with the H70 study which started in 1971, a cross-sectional study of men and women in Gothenburg aged 70 years. It is coordinated by several researcher groups, especially the groups handling general medicine, epidemiology, psychiatry and geriatrics. When the participants turned 70 years old, they were invited to participate in the H70 study (1992, 2000), and a follow-up examination of 75 years old participants 2005-2006. Purpose: The purpose of this study was initially to investigate anemia and health factors related to menopause, but has later also included examination of determinants among middle age women that have importance for the development of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia and other mental illness in high age.