# Health and Retirement Study: Years 29-34

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2020 · $2,361,446

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 This competing continuation proposal for Years 29-34 of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS)
cooperative agreement is in response to NIA RFA #AG-18-005. The primary aim of the HRS is to design,
collect and distribute longitudinal multi-disciplinary data to support research on aging and the health and well-
being of the older population. This proposal seeks to collect three additional waves of panel data, continue
collection of venous blood specimens, implement the next scheduled refreshment by adding the first Gen-X
cohort in 2022, continue to conduct off-year mail surveys, and implement cost-saving innovations, including an
internet mode for Core data collection. It will continue the same expanded minority oversample design for the
Gen-X cohort as was implemented in 2010 and 2016 for the baby boom cohorts in which half the sample
consists of traditionally underrepresented minorities. The new Gen-X cohort will be fully integrated into the
HRS design, including collection of biomarkers, DNA, and linkage consents to Social Security and other
records as appropriate. This parent project will provide sample, data, and coordinate fully with the separate
proposal to repeat the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol dementia study.
 HRS provides a uniquely rich, nationally representative longitudinal dataset for the community of scientific
and policy researchers who study the health and demography of aging. It provides a research data base that
can simultaneously support cross-sectional descriptions of the U.S. population age 50+, longitudinal studies of
a given cohort over a substantial period of time and research on cross-cohort trends. The HRS project creates
a data system extending beyond the core survey data. One component of this extended data system consists
of linkages to administrative data, including Social Security earnings and benefit records, Medicare utilization
and diagnostic records, including Minimum Data Set and Medicaid records, employer pension records,
Veterans Health Administration data and the National Death Index. We plan to expand access to these secure
data through secure enclaves. Another component is genome-wide genotyping data from consenting
respondents distributed through dbGaP and a new repository of blood samples including cryopreserved cells.
 HRS provides public use data designed to allow the full power and creativity of America's scientific
community to address the challenges of an aging population. HRS is making a significant impact on research
on aging through investigator-initiated research which uses the HRS as an input without charge to researchers
or granting agencies. Over 2,000 peer-reviewed journal publications have appeared, nearly 1,000 in the past
six years. HRS also supports training of new scientists as over 400 doctoral dissertations have used HRS data.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10168993
- **Project number:** 3U01AG009740-31S2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** DAVID R. WEIR
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $2,361,446
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 1990-09-25 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10168993

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10168993, Health and Retirement Study: Years 29-34 (3U01AG009740-31S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10168993. Licensed CC0.

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