Past Pilot Projects

Is the error in telomere length measurement introduced by EBV-immortalization of DNA random or systematic?: A Pilot Feasibility Study (Geronimus)
Proposal seeks to perform a feasibility study needed to strengthen a revised NIH proposal for resubmission. The aims of the original proposal were (1) to estimate the validity of using DNA that has been immortalized using Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) for storage in specimen repositories in studies of black-white differences in telomere length; and (2) if a valid approach, to estimate what size samples are necessary to employ in such studies, taking the impact of EBV immortalization into account. 2011.

Will Changing Trends in Marriage Hurt Medicare? (Nicholas)
Project uses data from the HRS linked to Medicare claims to examine relationships between marital status and duration and health and health care utilization across cohorts of older adults. 2011.

Stressful Experiences in the Health and Retirement Study: Prevalence and Associations with Mental and Physical Health (Stawski)
The current study seeks to accomplish three aims using data from the 2008 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). First, examine the prevalence of traumatic experiences, major life events, and chronic stressors among older adults. Second, examine the extent to which differential exposure to stressful experiences may, in part, be associated with disparities in mental and physical health. And third, explore the extent to which associations between specific stressful events and mental and physical health differ across sociodemographic strata 2011.

Caloric Intake Changes at Retirement: Evolution Over Time (Stephens, Jr.)
Using numerous data sources on food intake in the 1970s and 1980s, this project examines whether the diminishing impact of retirement on consumption expenditures over time is also found for caloric intake. 2011.

Living Arrangements of the Elderly and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa (Lam)
his project will analyze a large number of publicly available datasets from across sub-Saharan Africa that have the potential to increase our knowledge about the living arrangements and status of the elderly in the area. The project will focus on exploring the impact of HIV/AIDS on the elderly. 2010.

Economic Effects of Treatment Intensity: Elective Surgery, Paid and Unpaid Work (Nicholas)
The proposed research uses rich survey and Medicare claims data from the Health and Retirement Study to determine whether there are economic benefits to treatment intensity. 2010.

Comparative Study of Physical Measures and Biomarkers in HRS and Its Sister Studies (Ofstedal)
This project proposes to make use of physical measures and biomarkers available in cross-national surveys to examine the validity of self-reported health measures and to assess the extent to which physical measures and biomarkers predict various outcomes (onset of health events, mortality, retirement, etc.) net of self-reported health measures. 2010.

Retirement in the 1950s: Rebuilding a Longitudinal Database (Pienta)
In this project, ICPSR will determine the extent to which the data from the Cornell Study of Occupational Retirement archives are recoverable for public use. 2010.

Gender Differences in Stress-Mediated Wear and Tear with Age among Mexican Immigrants to the U.S. (Geronimus)
Project we will explore this possibility using data from NHANES and focusing on differences in levels and age patterns of allostatic load, obesity, diabetes and hypertension. 2009.

Cognition, Medicare Spending and Mortality among the Elderly (Levy)
This project links data from the HRS and Medicare claims data to explore the relationship between cognitive ability, medical spending, and subsequent mortality. The proposed project will provide important background information for an R01 proposal to NIA on cognition and health outcomes among the elderly. 2009.

Social Change, HIV/AIDS, and Elderly Health and Well-Being in Nepal (Axinn)
This is a study to add HIV/AIDS and elderly health and well-being content to an existing program of research on family change in Nepal. This study builds on the Chitwan Valley Family Study (CVFS), an ongoing program of research that has made numerous contributions to our understanding of the influence of community context on the family. 2008.

HIV testing and Sexual Behavior among Older Thai Adults (Ford)
The objective of this study will be to examine factors related to the use of HIV testing and sexual behavior among Thai men and women age 40-59. 2008.

Older-age Parents and AIDS in the ERA of ART, the Case of Thailand (Knodel)
This project examines the potential contributions of and consequences for older-age persons of having an adult child or a orphaned grandchild with HIV/AIDS in Thailand, a country where most persons who need ART are now receiving it. 2008.

The Impact of Illness and Death of Adult Children on the Elderly in South Africa (Lam)
This project uses data from the Cape Area Panel Study (CAPS) to analyze the impact on the elderly of the illness or death of an adult child. 2008.

Historical Cause of Death Archive
This project addresses establishing a publicly available archive of historical data on causes of death among the elderly. 2007.

Gender and Social Relations Across the Life Course in a Middle Eastern Cultural Context (Antonucci)
This study explores gender and social relations across the life course in the Middle Eastern context. The long-term goal is an R21 proposal to study social disparities in health in the U.S., Japan and Lebanon. 2007.

HIV Testing and Care Among the Elderly (60+) in South Africa and Botswana (Snow)
This project has two separate components, with distinct budgets, that explore various factors associated with AIDS testing in Africa. 2007.

Subjective Life-Expectancy, Beliefs about HIV Transmission, and Long-term Planning (Thornton)
This is a project in Malawi to develop measures of subjective life expectancy comparable to those in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and to study how randomized information about HIV transmission probabilities affects subjective life expectancy and subsequent savings and investment behavior. 2007.

Activities in Mid- and Late-Life: A New Lens on Disability (Verbrugge)
This project analyzes data from HRS CAMS (Consumption and Activities Mail Survey) data for 2001, 2003, and 2005 to understand the process of accommodating to disability over time. 2007.

Weathering and Telomeres: A Novel Approach to the Study of Racial Disparities in Health (Geronimus)
Project to analyze data from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) – i.e., DNA specimens and supporting survey data – for evidence of racial disparities in aging at the cellular level. 2006.

Employer Provision of Retiree Health Insurance (Levy)
This project consists of a literature review and preliminary analysis of large survey data sets to explore changes in employer provision of health insurance to early retirees. 2006.

Measuring Developmental Idealism and Family Life in the Aging and Elderly Population in the United States (Thornton)
This project, an extension of Thornton's previous research on family life, proposes to test survey questions and protocols for measuring knowledge and belief in developmental idealism and the relationship of those beliefs to several aspects of contemporary family life, including filial expectations and desire for independent living in the U.S. aging and elderly adult population. 2006.

Impact of HIV/AIDS on Active Life Expectancy in High Poverty Areas in the United States (Geronimus)
Project uses vital statistics and U.S. Census data to explore whether and to what extent AIDS mortality increased in high-poverty areas in the U.S. between 1990 and 2000. 2005.

New Data on the Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Elderly in South Africa (Lam)
This project expands analysis of the 2006 Cape Area Panel Study (CAPS) into areas related to HIV/AIDS and the elderly. 2005.

Access to HIV Testing and Treatment by Age and Sex in South Africa (Snow)
This project analyzes health department data on HIV testing and treatment to explore the age, sex, and referral status of those accessing care, preliminary to a larger study on gender, age, and HIV/AIDS care in South Africa. 2005.

Measuring the Effect of Aging on Perceptions and Behavior (Willis)
This project is intended to develop new methods for collecting and analyzing data on the information and perceptions of older Americans on health care policies and products, and methods for measuring their resulting behavior and well-being. Awarded as a supplement to the Michigan P30 award, it has two components conducted largely at other institutions. 2005.

Mechanisms for Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Diabetes Self-Management and Outcomes (Heisler)
Uses HRS data to identify population groups in greatest need of assistance with glycemic control and consider possible interventions. 2004.

Utilizing Aggregate Mortality, Morbidity, and Health Infrastructural Data as an Adjunct to Survey Analyses of Disability (Hermalin)
Research Focuses on Taiwan, but also explores implications for analyses of data for US and several other projects 2004.

Analysis of Survey Data Related to AIDS and the Elderly in Vietnam (Knodel)
Analysis to shed light on extend to which older Vietnamese and their spouses may be at risk for HIV through sexual transmission. The data come from two regional Vietnam Surveys of Family Change. 2004.

The Impact of AIDS, Poverty, and Social Upheaval on the Elderly: The Case of Cambodia (Knodel)
This project uses data from a survey of elderly Cambodians to analyze the impact of the illness and death of adult children, and to assess their awareness and knowledge of issues related to AIDS 2003.