Data Resource Profile: the World Health Organization Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE)

Overview

Journal Int J Epidemiol

Specialty Public Health

Date 2013 Jan 4

PMID 23283715

Citations 344

Authors

Paul Kowal

Somnath Chatterji

Nirmala Naidoo

Richard Biritwum

Wu Fan

Ruy Lopez Ridaura

Tamara Maximova

Perianayagam Arokiasamy

Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya

Sharon Williams

J Josh Snodgrass

Nadia Minicuci

Catherine DEste

Karl Peltzer

J Ties Boerma

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Population ageing is rapidly becoming a global issue and will have a major impact on health policies and programmes. The World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) aims to address the gap in reliable data and scientific knowledge on ageing and health in low- and middle-income countries. SAGE is a longitudinal study with nationally representative samples of persons aged 50+ years in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa, with a smaller sample of adults aged 18-49 years in each country for comparisons. Instruments are compatible with other large high-income country longitudinal ageing studies. Wave 1 was conducted during 2007-2010 and included a total of 34 124 respondents aged 50+ and 8340 aged 18-49. In four countries, a subsample consisting of 8160 respondents participated in Wave 1 and the 2002/04 World Health Survey (referred to as SAGE Wave 0). Wave 2 data collection will start in 2012/13, following up all Wave 1 respondents. Wave 3 is planned for 2014/15. SAGE is committed to the public release of study instruments, protocols and meta- and micro-data: access is provided upon completion of a Users Agreement available through WHO's SAGE website (www.who.int/healthinfo/systems/sage) and WHO's archive using the National Data Archive application (http://apps.who.int/healthinfo/systems/surveydata).

Citing Articles

Modulatory Effects of Hypertension on Aging-Related White Matter Hyperintensities: A Comparative Study Among Stroke Patients and Stroke-Free Community-Based Cohort.

Ackah J, Heng D, Li X, Zheng L, Chan J, Lo M J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2025; 27(3):e70002.

PMID: 40021135 PMC: 11870747. DOI: 10.1111/jch.70002.

Childhood socioeconomic position and healthy ageing: results from five harmonised cohort studies in the ATHLOS consortium.

Wu Y, Gnanapragasam S, Sanchez-Niubo A, Hossin M, Grunberger I, Koskinen S BMJ Public Health. 2025; 3(1):e001590.

PMID: 40017978 PMC: 11865732. DOI: 10.1136/bmjph-2024-001590.

Responsive cancer care in Asia: stigma and pain must be acknowledged and addressed.

Andres E, Poco L, Balasubramanian I, Chaudhry I, Ozdemir S, Manalo M Support Care Cancer. 2025; 33(2):128.

PMID: 39883219 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-025-09173-7.

Individual and joint associations between sleep duration and physical activity with cognitive function: A longitudinal analysis among middle-aged and older adults in China.

Liu H, Shi Y, Yu M, Guo X, Ruan Y, Qin F Alzheimers Dement. 2024; 21(1):e14212.

PMID: 39692596 PMC: 11772731. DOI: 10.1002/alz.14212.

Association between sleep quality, sleep duration, and physical frailty among adults aged 50 years and older in India.

Muhammad T, Lee S, Pai M, Mandal B BMC Public Health. 2024; 24(1):3120.

PMID: 39529114 PMC: 11556025. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20606-6.

References

Miret M, Caballero F, Mathur A, Naidoo N, Kowal P, Ayuso-Mateos J . Validation of a measure of subjective well-being: an abbreviated version of the day reconstruction method. PLoS One. 2012; 7(8):e43887. PMC: 3428291. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043887. View

Manton K, Gu X, Lamb V . Change in chronic disability from 1982 to 2004/2005 as measured by long-term changes in function and health in the U.S. elderly population. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006; 103(48):18374-9. PMC: 1635981. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0608483103. View

Fries J . Aging, natural death, and the compression of morbidity. N Engl J Med. 1980; 303(3):130-5. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM198007173030304. View

Gruenberg E . The failures of success. Milbank Mem Fund Q Health Soc. 1977; 55(1):3-24. View

Hanley J, Negassa A, Edwardes M, Forrester J . Statistical analysis of correlated data using generalized estimating equations: an orientation. Am J Epidemiol. 2003; 157(4):364-75. DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwf215. View

Ng N, Kowal P, Kahn K, Naidoo N, Abdullah S, Bawah A . Health inequalities among older men and women in Africa and Asia: evidence from eight Health and Demographic Surveillance System sites in the INDEPTH WHO-SAGE Study. Glob Health Action. 2010; 3. PMC: 2958198. DOI: 10.3402/gha.v3i0.5420. View

Fries J . Measuring and monitoring success in compressing morbidity. Ann Intern Med. 2003; 139(5 Pt 2):455-9. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-139-5_part_2-200309021-00015. View

Kowal P, Kahn K, Ng N, Naidoo N, Abdullah S, Bawah A . Ageing and adult health status in eight lower-income countries: the INDEPTH WHO-SAGE collaboration. Glob Health Action. 2010; 3. PMC: 2957285. DOI: 10.3402/gha.v3i0.5302. View

Scholten F, Mugisha J, Seeley J, Kinyanda E, Nakubukwa S, Kowal P . Health and functional status among older people with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. BMC Public Health. 2011; 11:886. PMC: 3256234. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-886. View

10.

Wilson M, Allen D, Li J . Improving measurement in health education and health behavior research using item response modeling: introducing item response modeling. Health Educ Res. 2006; 21 Suppl 1:i4-18. DOI: 10.1093/her/cyl108. View

11.

Jorm A . The Informant Questionnaire on cognitive decline in the elderly (IQCODE): a review. Int Psychogeriatr. 2004; 16(3):275-93. DOI: 10.1017/s1041610204000390. View

12.

Kahneman D, Krueger A, Schkade D, Schwarz N, Stone A . A survey method for characterizing daily life experience: the day reconstruction method. Science. 2004; 306(5702):1776-80. DOI: 10.1126/science.1103572. View

13.

Manton K . Changing concepts of morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. Milbank Mem Fund Q Health Soc. 1982; 60(2):183-244. View

14.

Nyirenda M, Chatterji S, Falkingham J, Mutevedzi P, Hosegood V, Evandrou M . An investigation of factors associated with the health and well-being of HIV-infected or HIV-affected older people in rural South Africa. BMC Public Health. 2012; 12:259. PMC: 3424116. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-259. View

15.

Schneider E, Brody J . Aging, natural death, and the compression of morbidity: another view. N Engl J Med. 1983; 309(14):854-6. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM198310063091411. View

16.

Suzman R . Guest Editorial: The INDEPTH WHO-SAGE multicentre study on ageing, health and well-being among people aged 50 years and over in eight countries in Africa and Asia. Glob Health Action. 2010; 3. PMC: 2957149. DOI: 10.3402/gha.v3i0.5480. View