SNAC - Swedish National study on Aging and Care.

The long-term longitudinal study SNAC - The Swedish National Study on Aging and Care - was launched in 2001 by initiative of the Swedish government in order to answer questions concerning the future needs of care and the best way to meet them. The SNAC-study combines two perspectives: a population part directed at studying the process of aging and the situation in life of the elderly and a care system part aiming at describing and analysing the function of the long-term care system from the perspective of the individual. The national study SNAC - The Swedish National Study on Aging and Care, includes four participating areas: SNAC-Blekinge, SNAC Kungsholmen, SNAC Nordanstig and SNAC Skåne (GÅS). In all four areas, a research center conducts a population study and a health care system study. (Metadata related to the participating areas can be found under the Related studies tab). Population study: The longitudinal study is based on samples of the elderly population followed up through surveys, interviews, questionnaires, etc. The data collection includes information on health, disease, functional capacity and social conditions. Data from different registers are also collected. The study design is similar in all four areas. Initially, a baseline survey was carried out based on a sample of individuals aged 60, 66, 72, 78, 81, 84, 87, 90, 93 and 96 years, living in each area. These individuals are being followed up, the younger every six years and older every three. Additional, a new cohort of 60-year olds are included in the study population every six year. The baseline collection in the population study were initiated in all areas in March 2001 and ended in Blekinge and Nordanstig 2003 and in Skåne and Stockholm / Kungsholmen in 2004. In total, over 8000 people were examined in the four areas. Care system study The purpose of the data collection in the care system study is to continuously monitor the health and social care interventions, as the elderly population receives, both acute and long-term, and thereby also record various factors that have a bearing on the allocation of efforts. Registration in the care system study refers to almost all changes in the operation of long-term care services for people living in the area concerned and who are 65 years and older.