About

Midlife antecedents of the disease burden at old age: individual participant data meta-analysis of multi-cohort studies (IPD-MAD) will investigate the effect of midlife antecedents on health at old age. The project has an overarching goal of explaining mechanisms associated with the old age health impairment, which could ultimately give some concrete set of evidences that could be helpful in planning programs aimed at reducing the disease burden.

Data from prospective cohort that followed people from midlife to old age will be utilized. Individual participant data meta-analytical approach will be used to analyze the pooled effect of the exposures on the outcomes.

Background

Rapidly ageing societies have ignited the growing burden of morbidities and disabilities in old age around the world, which has triggered the need of investigating midlife antecedents associated with those burden. Working conditions is one of the vital midlife antecedent however, the current evidence lacks the consideration of the working conditions in a life-course, predictors of changing patterns of health trajectories and subsequent health burden.

Goal

The aim of this research project is to study the multifaceted role of midlife working conditions as core determinants of health and disease in terms of musculoskeletal disorders, mental disorders, functional dis(ability), self-rated health, comorbidities, and all-cause mortality. The possible role of lifestyle factors in the association of working conditions on the outcome among aging workers will be studied. The second aim is to assess the burden of these disease conditions attributable to the midlife working conditions.

Impact

This study will contribute to the current knowledge on how to handle the new societal challenge of aging. Multidisciplinary collaboration with international experts advances the research level, improves the generalizability of the findings and provides opportunities for renewal of science.

Funding

Academy of Finland

Collaborative partners

IPD-MAD will utilize data from nine prospective cohort studies around Europe and North America that followed people from midlife to old age. The responsible persons of these different cohort studies are the potential collaborative partners of this project.