COSM, Cohort Of Swedish Men

Summary

Strengths: This dataset provides good opportunities to analyze relations between nutrition, modifiable life style patterns and socio-economic contexts, environments and working and living conditions of individuals over time. Primary data comprise both detailed descriptions of life style determinants and eating habits, clinical data, biological samples and social data, which open ups for cross-disciplinary research. Empirical evidence on risk factors for cancer and cardiovascular diseases generates a knowledge base for public health policies and for possible interventions. Weaknesses: Data from two counties in Sweden and not the entire population. Response rate, validity and quality of assessment being evaluated.

Type of data

Data Source
Registry + Survey

Type of Study
Survey same
Cohort study

Data gathering method
Telephone
Registries
Self administered questionnaire
Other: Cognitive tests Saliva, blood, urine, fat biopsies, faecal samples

Access to data

Conditions of access
On site access, as well as downloadable files, are available after agreement. Participants were informed that their data can be analysed abroad.

Type of available data (e.g. anonymised microdata, aggregated tables, etc.)
Aggregated tables or anonymised microdata are available depending on the type of collaboration.

Formats available
SAS, STATA, Excel

Coverage

Coverage Years of collection, reference years, and sample sizes
Data was first collected through a lifestyle questionnaire in 1997 . The sample size was 48,850 men. A DNA collection was carried out from 2005 to 2008 and included 31,555 men (with an 80% response rate). A questionnaire about health status, wellbeing, etc. was conducted in 2008 and had a sample of 29,503 men (with a 78% response rate). The second lifestyle questionnaire was in 2009 and had a sample of 26,156 men (with a 90% response rate). Currently, a biomaterial collection is underway since 2010 and will be completed in 2015. This includes saliva, blood, and urine samples, fat biopsies and faecal samples. The COSM is a population-based cohort study established in central Sweden (Västmanland and Örebro counties) and includes about 50,000 men born 1918-1952. Baseline data in the COSM study were collected in 1997. The cohort includes questionnaire-based information about demographic factors and modifiable lifestyle factors such as diet, physical activity, smoking, weight, use of dietary supplements, some drugs “over counter”, and alcohol. Other self-reported information regarding wellbeing, different symptoms related to aging (not available in the Swedish health registries), social aspects, housing, longevity of parents etc., is available in the COSM.

First year of collection
1997

Stratification if applicable
Born between 1918- and 1952, men, central Sweden (Västmanland and Örebro counties)

Base used for sampling

Geographical coverage and breakdowns
Central Sweden

Age range
Born between 1918 and 1952, aged 45-79 years at baseline

Statistical representativeness
Population representative

Coverage of main and cross-cutting topics
The data is based on self-reported answers regarding present occupational status (full-time work, part-time work, house-wife, retired, disability, pension and unemployed). Information about work status is also obtained by linkage to Statistics Sweden (LISA register). The Cohort of 50,000 Swedish Men (COSM) is a multidisciplinary longitudinal project on the association of lifestyle and genetic factors with morbidity and mortality in middle-aged and elderly men. The COSM is a population-based cohort study established in central Sweden (Västmanland and Örebro counties) and includes about 50,000 men born 1918-1952. Baseline data in the COSM study were collected in 1997. The cohort includes questionnaire-based information about such modifiable lifestyle factors as diet, physical activity, smoking, weight, use of dietary supplements, some prescribed drugs, and alcohol. With the information from the cohort, we are able to investigate aging and specific major chronic diseases such as cancer (prostate, colon, bladder, kidney etc), cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, cataracts, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), obesity etc. Follow-up of the cohort is accomplished through annual matching with national and regional registers with high completeness of diagnoses and population registers at the Statistic Sweden. The COSM database will be extended with genetic information. This will facilitate studies of genetic susceptibility and of interplay/interactions between lifestyle and other factors and genes in the development of chronic diseases and ageing. Saliva samples for DNA extractions and genetic studies are available from 80% of the participants. Biological samples (blood, urine, fat biopsies, and fecal samples) and some clinical data (blood pressure, physical functionality tests, cognitive tests, etc.) have been collected from only 2,000 men. The collection is on-going and the plan is to get this biomaterial and clinical data from 5,000 men (random subsample from COSM).

Linkage

Standardisation
The dataset is linked to Statistics Sweden where work occupation classification (SSYK) is used, which is based on ISCO-88.

Possibility of linkage among databases
There is an ID for these nearly 50,000 participants, which gives us a possibility to link to Swedish registers; we are updating their health status annually.

Data quality

Entry errors if applicable
Among the 50,000 participants, there is some missing information (partial lack of answers to some questions).

Breaks
ICD codes of diseases are translated into the newest version ICD 10.

Consistency of terminology or coding used during collection
Yes

Governance

Contact information
Professor Alicja Wolk
Karolinska Institutet, Institute of Environmental Medicine, IMM
Nobels väg 13
171 77 Stockholm Sweden Phone: +46 8 524 861 70
Email: Alicja.Wolk(at)ki.se
Url: http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=40981; http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=40981&l=en

Timeliness, transparency
The first Lifestyle Questionnaire was carried out in 1997 and then again in 2009. From 2005 to 2008, DNA was collected through saliva samples and then in 2008, a health status, wellbeing, etc. questionnaire was completed. Beginning in 2010 and continuing until 2015, the first biomaterial collection is being carried out, which includes saliva, blood, urine, fat biopsies and faecal sample collections. The first publication regarding the Cohort of Swedish Men, COSM was published in 2002. Time between collection of data and publication of results varies due to kind of research design but takes approximately one year.