A unique body of research, the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (Tilda) this week celebrated its 10th birthday. Conducted by Trinity College Dublin, it is a multiannual longitudinal study of the health, social and economic circumstances of 8,000 people aged 50 years and over.
Tilda collects detailed information on the participants’ health, their economic circumstances and on social aspects of their lives. By including a health assessment component, it is ideally placed to influence public policy on health and wellbeing.
The results are already changing policy and practice: when Tilda revealed two thirds of older people have high blood pressure – many of whom are unaware they carry the risk factor for heart attack and stroke – it secured funding for community health nurses to commence more frequent blood pressure monitoring nationally.
Tilda also found that one third of older people with the heart rhythm abnormality atrial fibrillation(a common cause of stroke) were unaware they had the condition. And a further one third were found to be inappropriately treated for the problem. In response, the Irish Heart Foundation translated these findings into a national awareness campaign;national screening programme guidelines now incorporate Tilda data.
On the economic front there is limited knowledge among older people about their pension entitlements; some two thirds of those enrolled in pension schemes do not know the form or the amount that would be paid out on retirement.
An especially interesting social finding was that based on their usual walking speeds, 31 per cent of Irish adults aged 65-74 and 61 per cent of adults over 75 do not have enough time to cross the road in the time currently provided by the pedestrian light signals. Not being able to cross the road comfortably can lead to reductions in social engagement, physical activity, functional independence and quality of life.
Part funded by his department, the Minister for Health must ensure there is no delay in translating Tilda’s findings into preventive practice.