New Zealand Health, Work, and Retirement Longitudinal Study

AbstractLongitudinal studies into the relationship between affect (positive or negative feelings) towards one’s own ethnic group and wellbeing are rare, particularly for Indigenous peoples. In this paper, we test the longitudinal effects of in-group warmth (a measure of ethnic identity affect) and ethnic identity centrality on three wellbeing measures for New Zealand Māori: life satisfaction (LS), self-esteem (SE), and personal wellbeing (PW). Longitudinal panel data collected from Māori (N = 3803) aged 18 or over throughout seven annual assessments (2009–2015) in the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study were analyzed using latent trajectory models with structured residuals to examine cross-lagged within-person effects. Higher in-group warmth towards Māori predicted increases in all three wellbeing measures, even more strongly than ethnic identity centrality. Bi-directionally, PW and SE predicted increased in-group warmth, and SE predicted ethnic identification. Further, in sample-level (between-person) trends, LS and PW rose, but ethnic identity centrality interestingly declined over time. This is the first large-scale longitudinal study showing a strong relationship between positive affect towards one’s Indigenous ethnic group and wellbeing. Efforts at cultural recovery and restoration have been a deliberate protective response to colonization, but among Māori, enculturation and access to traditional cultural knowledge varies widely. The data reported here underline the role of ethnic identity affect as an important dimension of wellbeing and call for continued research into the role of this dimension of ethnic identity for Indigenous peoples.

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Considerations of response bias and value in linking an existing longitudinal cohort study with national health record data

International Journal for Population Data Science ◽

10.23889/ijpds.v1i1.215 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Joanne Allen ◽

Andy Towers ◽

Fiona Alpass ◽

Christine Stephens

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

New Zealand ◽

National Health ◽

Data Linkage ◽

Longitudinal Survey ◽

Health Record ◽

Health Work ◽

Longitudinal Cohort ◽

Record Data ◽

Retirement Study

ABSTRACTObjectiveLongitudinal cohort studies remain important sources of information in health and epidemiological research and represent a significant investment of resources. The maintenance of these cohorts over time and the representativeness of retained participants are important considerations for researchers. For those weighting the benefits of augmenting a longitudinal cohort study with data linkage to national health records, the potential for bias in consent and match rates and the utility of the newly obtained data are also key considerations. This study presents an analysis of bias associated with consent to participate and record matching in an established longitudinal cohort of older persons. We present the unique outcomes generated from this national health record data linkage project and the opportunities such variables present for longitudinal cohort studies.ApproachThe New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement study is a biennial survey of persons aged 55-85 which commenced in 2006. Over the past decade, additional cohorts have been recruited to the study, with n = 9003 older New Zealand residents participating to the year 2015. In 2013 the study began an approach to active survey participants for consent to link their longitudinal survey data to national health record data held by the New Zealand Health Information Service, including data related to hospital events, the New Zealand Cancer Registry, pharmaceutical data and mental health data. We compare self-reported longitudinal health trends associated with consent/declination to participate as well as for record match success and failure. Key outcomes derived from these national datasets for the purposes of the Health, Work and Retirement Study are described.ResultsConsent (62.5%) and declination (8.9%) to participate in the data linkage project are described in terms of the corresponding longitudinal self-reported health and socio-demographic trends for these groups. Successful and unsuccessful matches of participants to national health record data are also described. The calculation of outcomes from each of the linked datasets obtained and their potential utility in building upon existing longitudinal cohort data are also presented.ConclusionsNational health record data linkage presents a potentially valuable source of data to supplement and replicate findings related to health outcomes and expenditure derived from longitudinal cohort surveys. The challenges and successes of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement survey data linkage project touch upon considerations pertinent to evaluating the value of augmenting existing and ongoing longitudinal survey cohort for other researchers.

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Multimorbidity and health-related quality of life among people 55 years and up: results of a longitudinal study in New Zealand

10.21203/rs.2.20275/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nayyereh Aminisani ◽

Chris Stephens ◽

Fiona Alpass ◽

Seyed Morteza Shamshirgaran

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

New Zealand ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background: This study aimed to examine the association of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and multimorbidity (MM) and its correlates over time in New Zealand. Methods: People aged 55 years and over were invited to participate in a nationally representative population-based longitudinal study in 2006 and followed up biennially until 2016. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) with an exchangeable correlation matrix and robust standard errors adjusted for both time-constant and time-varying factors using baseline and five subsequent waves of data were used, to compare a range of factors related to changes in MM and HRQOL. Results: Of 2632 participants at baseline, 957 of the participants were classified as “MM participants”; 570 had two, and the rest had three chronic conditions. The results of the GEE regression models demonstrated that SF12-PCS decreased over time, and there was a significant difference in SF12-PCS between MM and Non-MM participants. Having MM was negatively associated with HRQOL-PCS [-3.00 (95 %CI -3.60, -2.49); p <0.001)]. Although the results showed an increase in SF12-MCS over time, the score of the mental dimension of HRQOL was lower among MM participants compared to Non-MM participants [-2.60, 95 %CI -3.09, -2.11]. Conclusions: According to this longitudinal study, there is an inverse association between MM and one of the most important health outcomes; HRQOL, in older adults.

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