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). Show less..

Data contains personal data

Yes

Sensitive personal data

Yes

Type of personal data

Pseudonymised data

Code key exists

Yes

Language

English

Swedish

Method and outcome

Unit of analysis

Individual/Patient

Population

The Swedish population aged 75 and older

Study design

Observational study

Cohort study

Cohort study: Prospective

Sampling procedure

Probability

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

1992 – Ongoing

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

Numeric

Text

Data collection

Data collection 1

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 2

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 3

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 1

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 2

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 3

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 4

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 5

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 6

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

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Geographic coverage

Geographic spread

Geographic location: Sweden

Administrative information

Responsible department/unit

Aging Research Center (ARC)

Funding 1

Funding agency: Swedish Research Council
Funding agency's reference number: 2001-6651

Funding 2

Funding agency: Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of Research
Funding agency's reference number: 910245:6-5/86

Funding 3

Funding agency: Swedish Council for Social Research
Funding agency's reference number: 91-0150

Funding 4

Funding agency: Swedish Medical Research Council
Funding agency's reference number: B92-27Ä-09997-01

Funding 5

Funding agency: Swedish Research Council
Funding agency's reference number: 2009-6183

Ethics Review

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

Topic and keywords

Research area

Public health, global health, social medicine and epidemiology (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Gerontology, specialising in medical and health sciences (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Sociology (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Keywords

Aged, Activities of daily living, Housing, Life style, Memory, Motor activity, Socioeconomic factors, Diet, Alcohol drinking, Family, Leisure activities, Physical fitness, Gait, Hand strength, Homemaker services, Health, Health status, Sex, Retention, psychology, Oral health, Retirement, Interpersonal relations, Smoking, Disease, Hospitalization, Social conditions, Social class, Aging, Living conditions, Near- national e-infrastructure for aging research, Near

Publications

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.
Read full text
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyu057

Link to publication list:

Publications - SWEOLD

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