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GENDER is a study of unlike-sex twin pairs born between 1906 and 1925 (Gold et al., 2002). A survey concerning health and health behavior was mailed in 1994 with responses from 1,210 twins from 605 pairs where both responded. Mean age at baseline questionnaire assessment was 74.43 (SD 4.28) and all are Caucasians. A baseline in-person evaluation of 498 twins from 249 pairs between 70 and 80 years of age was undertaken between 1995 and 1997, and included an interview and tests of cognitive and physical functioning. Two additional in-person waves followed at 4-year intervals. Finally, a second survey was mailed in 2007 to all living twins who participated in the first mailed survey.
Last update – 04/03/2017
Types General population-based cohort
Participant Types No diagnosis
Countries Sweden
Genders Male and Female
Sample sizes 0 to 4,999
Ages 60 to 100
Brain related measures Cognitive function|Mental health|Neurological
Funtional rating Individual physiological|Individual psychological
Anthropometric Blood pressure|Height|Hip circumference|Waist circumference|Weight
Physical Cardiovascular|Hearing and Vision|Musculoskeletal|Reproductive|Respiratory
Biological samples Blood
Genotyping Gene screening
Brain imaging
Brain banking Consent for brain donation
Lifestyle Alcohol|Dietary habits|Physical activity|Smoking
Socio-economic Education|Housing and accommodation|Income and finances|Informal support|Marital status|Occupation and employment|Unpaid care
Health service utilisation Formal health and social care service utilisation including private care
Institute names Jönköping University and Karolinska Institutet
Current Sample Sizes 0 to 4,999
age at recruitment 69-88
last updated
recruitment period 1994
estimated current sample size number value
cohort acronym GENDER
start date 1994
pi Associate Professor Anna Dahl Aslan
website https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/57/3/S168/581328
contact details Institute of Gerontology,
School of Health and Welfare,
Jönköping University,
Box 1026, 551 11 Jönköping,
Sweden
abstract GENDER is a twin study which began in 1994 concerning health behaviour. 1,210 unlike-sex twins were recruited aged between 69-88.
funders MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successsful Aging
The Axel and Margaret Axson Johnson’s Foundation, The Swedish Council for Social Research
The Swedish Foundation for Health Care Sciences and Allergy Research
contact email PI Email: [email protected]
contact phone number +49 (0) 761-714118
estimated current sample size
sample sizes 1210