Authors

• Pulkkinen, Lea (University of Jyväskylä. Department of Psychology)
• Kinnunen, Marja-Liisa (University of Jyväskylä. Department of Psychology)
• Kokko, Katja (University of Jyväskylä. Department of Psychology)

Keywords

cardiovascular diseases, clinical tests and measurements, cognitive processes, disabilities, diseases, endocrine disorders, family members, health status, injuries, medical diagnosis, medical examinations, medicinal drugs, memory, mental disorders, psychological well-being, symptoms

Abstract

The data are part of the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development (JYLS), in which the same individuals have been followed since 1968. At this research stage, conducted in 2009, data were collected using a Life Situation Questionnaire, an interview, a personality test, questionnaires, and a medical examination. This dataset contains the medical examinations of 50-year-olds.

First, the respondents were requested to evaluate their health and to fill in a health assessment record. The medical checkup conducted by the nurse included the recording of measurements such as height and weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and heart rate. The respondents also took a hand grip strength test. Further, a category fluency task, a word list learning trial, and a delayed recall test were conducted to test the respondents' memory. A new addition to the set of memory tests was a backward digit span task.

The second stage of the study investigated the diseases and injuries of the respondents, who were asked whether they had any endocrine disorders, cardiovascular diseases or mental disorders. Those who suffered from a disease or disorder were further asked what the year of diagnosis had been, what medication they used and whether their condition was improving or declining.

Further questions investigated treatments received in a psychiatric hospital, a drug or alcohol rehabilitation centre or non-institutional care after the year 2000. Diseases and disorders affecting the respondents' ability to work were charted. The onset, medication, surgical treatment and the progression of these diseases or disorders were studied. Additionally, the respondents were asked if they had been in rehabilitation because of their disease or disorder. The women were asked whether their menopause had begun, what symptoms they had, and what medication they were using, if any.

Other topics included: injuries that the respondents had sustained after the year 2000, the severity of these injuries, the situation in which injured, and whether alcohol was involved. Some questions covered traffic behaviour. Lastly, those respondents who had been referred to treatment or a follow-up after the year 2001 medical examination, were asked whether they had sought the treatment according to instructions.

The laboratory tests used in this study were the same as those when the respondents were 42 years old: blood count, liver function test, blood glucose test, lipid profile and high sensitive C-reactive protein test.

Background variable used: the respondent's gender.