title: The Korean urban rural elderly cohort study: study design and protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Korea is one of the fastest aging countries and is expected to become a super-aged society within 12 years. The Korean Urban Rural Elderly (KURE) study was developed to evaluate the epidemiological characteristics and establish the prevention and management of major disorders of the elderly in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  The KURE study is a community-based prospective cohort study on health, aging, and common geriatric disorders of Korean elderly persons aged at least 65 years. To construct a cohort reflecting both urban and rural areas, we selected 2 representative communities in the country. To establish multidisciplinary approaches to geriatric health, this study was performed by researchers in the divisions of geriatrics, preventive medicine, endocrinology, and sociology. The baseline examinations began in 2012; the study will follow more than 4,000 elderly Koreans over 10 years. The first and second follow-up health examinations will be performed every 4 years. Every 2 years after each health examination, inter-assessment interview will be conducted to improve participant retention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The KURE study will provide longitudinal epidemiologic data on health, aging, and common geriatric disorders of the elderly in Korea. This is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary study of the elderly with respect to biological, physical, socio-economic, and environmental factors. The results of this study will contribute to improve public health and welfare policies for the aging society in Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyeon Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yumie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Yoosik
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Youm
authors.forename: Kyoung Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ju Mi
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Phil
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea. cokim@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Chang Oh
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D012424:Rural Population / Q000639:trends; D014505:Urban Population / Q000639:trends