title: The Maracaibo Aging Study: population and methodological issues.
abstract: The Maracaibo Aging Study is a longitudinal, population-based, one-step multidisciplinary study of age-related diseases, with a particular focus on memory-related disorders, among subjects over 55 years living in a neighborhood of the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela. Three phases were scheduled for this study. First, a door-to-door survey was conducted in order to build a registry and to obtain general and sociodemographic characteristics. During the second phase, information regarding changes in the abilities of the subjects was collected. The third phase consisted of a full neuropsychiatric examination, cardiovascular evaluation, nutritional assessment, neuropsychological testing, routine laboratory tests and genetic analysis. 3,657 subjects were surveyed between January and August, 1998. There were more women than men, and the average number of years of formal education was low, particularly among women. The limitations and strengths of the study are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biological Research, University of Zulia, Venezuela. gem6@telcel.net.ve
authors.forename: Gladys E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Maestre
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pino-Ramírez
authors.forename: Aldrin E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Molero
authors.forename: Eglé R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zambrano
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Falque
authors.forename: María P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Gamero
authors.forename: Tulio A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sulbarán
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology