Swedish National Study of Aging and Care in Kungsholmen

SNAC-K is a longitudinal study on the influence of life-time environmental and biological factors on medical, psychological and social health in late adulthood. It aims to increase the understanding of the aging process, and to identify possible preventive strategies to improve health and care of older adults.

The study consists of two parts: the population part and the care and services part. In the population part, a large, representative panel of elders in different age cohorts is followed over time to record and describe the aging process from different aspects. In the care and services part, a systematic, longitudinal, individually-based collection of data is performed concerning provision of care and services together with functional ability, specific health care problems, and living conditions of the recipients living in the area.

Overview

Acronym
SNAC-K
Website
SNAC-K
Investigators
Prof Amaia Calderon Larrañaga
Karolinska Institute
Contacts
Maria Wahlberg
Karolinska Institute

General Design

Study design
Cohort
Start - End Year
2001 -
General Information on Follow Up (profile, frequency)

The participants are followed-up at ages 60, 66, 72, 78, 81, 84, 87, 90, 93, 96 and 99 years. 60- 70 year olds are followed-up every 6 years and 81+ year olds are followed-up ever 3 years.

Recruitment Target
  • Individuals
Number of Participants
4,430
Number of Participants with Biological Samples
3,800
Supplementary information about number of participants

Every six years, a new group of 60-year-olds is added to the study population and every third year a new group of 81-year-olds is added.

Three additional cohorts have been added to the baseline in 2007-2008 (81 year-olds), 2010-2012 (60 year-olds) and 2013-2015 (81 year-olds). In 2019-2021 new cohorts of 60 and 81 year-olds will be included.

More detailed information can be found here
Supplementary Information
Every 3 years participants 81+ years old are followed-up and every 6 years, participants 60-70 are followed-up. New cohorts were added in 2007-2010 (81 year olds), 2010-2012 (60 year olds), 2013-2015 (81 year olds).

Access

Availability of data and biosamples

Possible Access to Data
Possible Access to Biosamples
Other

A sub-sample of 613 participants underwent MRI brain scanning.

Marker Papers

Lagergren M, Fratiglioni L, Hallberg IR et al., A longitudinal study integrating population, care and social services data. The Swedish National study on Aging and Care (SNAC). Aging Clin Exp Res. 2004 Apr;16(2):158-68.

PUBMED 15195992

Timeline

Populations

SNAC-K - Cohort 1

The SNAC-K population consists of a random sample of individuals living both at home and in institutions, in the central part of Stockholm, Kungsholmen.

Selection Criteria

Countries
  • Sweden
Territory

Area of Kungsholmen/Essingeöarna

Sources of Recruitment

General Population
  • Selected sample
Supplementary Information

The sample was chosen in the national project SNAC and it was stratified for age cohort and year of assessment. Eleven age cohorts were chosen with different intervals, being six years in the younger cohorts (60-78 years old), and three years in the older cohorts (78+ years old).

Sample Size

Number of Participants
3,363
Supplementary information about number of participants
  • Phase 1 2001-2004: 3363 participants baseline.
  • Phase 2 2004-2007: 992 participants follow-up (81+ older).
  • Phase 3 2007-2010: 2251 participants (2057 followed up (all ages), 194 new (81 year olds).
  • Phase 4 2010-2012: 1528 participants(850 participants follow-up (only 81+ year olds), 678 new (60 year olds).
  • Phase 5 2013-2015: 1603 participants (1408 participants follow-up (all ages), 195 new (81 year olds).
  • Phase 6 2016-2018: 1291 participants.

Data Collection Events

# Name Data sources Data sources - Biosamples Start End
0 SNAC-K - Cohort 1 - Baseline
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2001 2004
1 SNAC-K - Cohort 1 - Follow-up1
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2004 2007
2 SNAC-K - Cohort 1 - Follow-up2
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2007 2010
3 SNAC-K - Cohort 1 - Follow-up3
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2010 2012
4 SNAC-K - Cohort 1 - Follow-up4
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2013 2015
5 SNAC-K - Cohort 1 - Follow-up5
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2016 2018
SNAC-K - Cohort 2

The population consists of a random sample of additional 81 year olds and older individuals living both at home and in institutions, in the central part of Stockholm, Kungsholmen.

Selection Criteria

Minimum age
81
Countries
  • Sweden
Territory

Area of Kungsholmen/Essingeöarna

Sources of Recruitment

General Population
  • Selected sample
Supplementary Information

The sample was chosen in the national project SNAC and it was stratified for age cohort and year of assessment. Eleven age cohorts were chosen with different intervals, being six years in the younger cohorts (60-78 years old), and three years in the older cohorts (78+ years old).

Sample Size

Number of Participants
194

Data Collection Events

# Name Data sources Data sources - Biosamples Start End
2 SNAC-K - Cohort 2 - Baseline
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2007 2010
3 SNAC-K - Cohort 2 - Follow-up1
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2010 2012
4 SNAC-K - Cohort 2 - Follow-up2
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2013 2015
5 SNAC-K - Cohort 2 - Follow-up3
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2016 2018
SNAC-K - Cohort 3

The population consists of an additional random sample of 60 year old individuals living both at home and in institutions, in the central part of Stockholm, Kungsholmen.

Selection Criteria

Minimum age
60
Maximum age
60
Countries
  • Sweden
Territory

Area of Kungsholmen/Essingeöarna

Sources of Recruitment

General Population
  • Selected sample
Supplementary Information

The sample was chosen in the national project SNAC and it was stratified for age cohort and year of assessment. Eleven age cohorts were chosen with different intervals, being six years in the younger cohorts (60-78 years old), and three years in the older cohorts (78+ years old).

Sample Size

Number of Participants
678

Data Collection Events

# Name Data sources Data sources - Biosamples Start End
1 SNAC-K - Cohort 3 - Baseline
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2010 2012
3 SNAC-K - Cohort 3 - Follow-up1
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2016 2018
SNAC-K - Cohort 4

The SNAC-K population consists of an additional random sample of 81 year old individuals living both at home and in institutions, in the central part of Stockholm, Kungsholmen.

Selection Criteria

Minimum age
81
Maximum age
81
Countries
  • Sweden
Territory

Area of Kungsholmen/Essingeöarna

Sources of Recruitment

General Population
  • Selected sample
Supplementary Information

The sample was chosen in the national project SNAC and it was stratified for age cohort and year of assessment. Eleven age cohorts were chosen with different intervals, being six years in the younger cohorts (60-78 years old), and three years in the older cohorts (78+ years old).

Sample Size

Number of Participants
195

Data Collection Events

# Name Data sources Data sources - Biosamples Start End
1 SNAC-K - Cohort 4 - Baseline
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2013 2015
2 SNAC-K - Cohort 4 - Follow-up1
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Administrative databases
  • Blood
2016 2018
SNAC-K - Care System Study

The population consists of all persons aged 65 years and older and living in the central part of Stockholm, Kungsholmen, and using long-term care and services.

Selection Criteria

Minimum age
65
Countries
  • Sweden
Territory

Area of Kungsholmen/Essingeöarna

Sources of Recruitment

Specific Population
  • Other specific population :

    Users of home help services, long-term home health care or rehabilitation or special housing.

Data Collection Events

# Name Data sources Data sources - Biosamples Start End
0 SNAC-K - Care System Study - Surveys
  • Questionnaires
  • Administrative databases
2001 (February) 2018

Participating Studies

Acronym Name Study design Countries

Harmonization Initiatives Included

Acronym Name

Datasets

Name Data Collection Events Variables

Areas of Information Collected

Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
Death
Lifestyle and behaviours
Physical measures and assessments
Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
Laboratory measures
Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
Diseases
Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
Symptoms and signs
Preschool, school and work life
Medication and supplements
Social environment and relationships
Non-pharmacological interventions
Physical environment
Health and community care services utilization
Administrative information

Variables Content Summary

Areas of Information Collected
No Areas of Information Collected
No Scales Collected
Areas of Information Collected per per Population and Data Collection Event
No Areas of Information Collected
No Scales Collected

Networks

Acronym Name Harmonization Initiatives Individual Studies
Last Update: 2026-02-23T16:11:28.595