Belgian Ageing Studies Surveys (BAS survey)

Summary

Strengths The researchers organising the survey point to the advantages of their peer research design, i.e. the involvement of older adults in the study, not only as the research target group, but also as experts and actors involved in the study. According to the researchers, this system has the advantages of face-to-face-research (i.e. higher response rate), while minimising the disadvantages of such research (i.e. social desirability). Furthermore, peer research would enrich the research design and would result in more complete questionnaires and a high response rate. Weaknesses Four important weaknesses can be distinguished: (1) Very little information is available on methodology, making data quality difficult to assess; (2) The data have only been collected in the Flemish Region; (3) They are only representative at the municipality level; and, (4) They exclude the institutionalized elderly.

Type of data

Data Source
Survey

Type of Study
Survey different
Crosssection occasional

Data gathering method
Self administered questionnaire

Access to data

Conditions of access
The data are available for academic and policy research.

Type of available data (e.g. anonymised microdata, aggregated tables, etc.)
Anonymised microdata

Formats available
Excel, SAS

Coverage

Coverage Years of collection, reference years, and sample sizes
Years of collection: 2002-present Sample sizes depend on the communities in question: they vary between 182 and 1,592.

First year of collection
2002

Stratification if applicable
Stratified by gender and age (60 to 69; 70 to 79; 80 years and over)

Base used for sampling

Geographical coverage and breakdowns
Communities in Flemish region; Two pilot studies are going on in the Walloon region.

Age range
60 years and older

Statistical representativeness
Special group, please specify

Coverage of main and cross-cutting topics
The Belgian Ageing Studies Surveys can be used to study education and learning (what do we know about the extent and nature of older people’s learning), social, civic and cultural engagement (e.g. What do we know about older people’s participation in society in formal and informal roles?) and uses of technology. The data are also useful to study health and performance, and housing, urban development and mobility (e.g. What kinds of community environment are best at fostering wellbeing among older people?).

Linkage

Standardisation
Where possible, internationally validated scales were used (e.g. De Jong Gierveld scale on happiness, MOS scale on health, GHQ scale on psychological wellbeing etc.).

Possibility of linkage among databases

Data quality

Entry errors if applicable
Data quality is difficult to assess as no detailed methodological information is available. Undetailed information is given on the BAS website: www.belgianageingstudies.be.

Breaks

Consistency of terminology or coding used during collection

Governance

Contact information
Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences; Department of Educational Sciences & Faculty of Education, Health and Social Work; Vakgroep Sociale Wetenschappen
Vrije Universiteit Leuven & Hogeschool Gent
Pleinlaan 2 & Campus Schoonmeersen; Voskenslaan 362
1050 & 9000 Brussels & Gent Belgium Phone: +32 2 629 25 31
Email: liesbeth.de.donder(at)vub.ac.be & nico.dewitte(at)hogent.be
Url: www.belgianageingstudies.be

Timeliness, transparency
Data is available about six months following collection.