MRC National Survey of Health and Development (1946)
Summary Description:
Since the study began, in 1946, as an investigation of maternity and birth circumstances, the primary purpose in following up this birth cohort has been to study physical and mental health in relation to developmental, social and psychological factors, and in relation to age.
Physical health was measured in terms of growth, illness and disability in childhood and adolescence, and in adulthood in terms of function (e.g. blood pressure, respiratory, disability), shape, menopausal change, and illness.
Mental health was measured in terms of behaviour in childhood and adolescence (reports from mothers and teachers), and in adulthood using measures of anxiety, depression and a screening measure of psychotic illness (the Present State Examination at 36 years and the Psychiatric Symptom Frequency Inventory at 43 years).
Cognitive function was measured at ages 8, 11, 15, 43, and 53 years.
These data have been used in a wide range of studies on educational attainment, parental and own marriage and divorce, delinquency, social class mobility and imagery, and earnings, as well as health.
Sponsor:
Medical Research Council and the Alcohol Education Research Council
Contractor:
Size of data collection:
Linked surveys/sources:
Method:
Cohort, Panel or Longitudinal Study
Status:
Ongoing
Frequency of collection or compilation:
Irregularly
Reference period:
From 1946
Timeliness:
Year data first available:
Year of latest available data:
History of data collection / breaks and discontinuities:
Data collections were undertaken on all sample members at birth and then at ages 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 31, 36, 43, and 53 years. Data collections on women's health were undertaken at ages 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, and 54 years. Data collections were undertaken at ages 4 and 8 years on first offspring born to cohort members between ages 19 to 25 years.
Data are collected from parents, health and education workers; cohort members themselves in childhood and adolescence; and from cohort members in adulthood.
Main areas for which data is collected:
National: England Scotland Wales
Extent of geographical coverage:
Spatial units of data collection:
Smallest spatial unit for which data are made available:
Unit postcode
Commonly available units for which aggregate data are made available:
Standard geographical classification or coding systems used:
Descriptive summary of geographical coverage and geographic referencing system:
Legislative status:
Deposited with data archive?
Bibliographic material:
Maternity in Great Britain (1948) Oxford University Press Douglas JWB (1964) The home and the school. Macgibbon and Kee, London. Douglas JWB, Ross JM and Simpson HR (1968) All our future. Peter Davies Ltd, London Wadsworth MEJ (1979) Roots of Delinquency: Infancy, Adolescence and Crime, Martin Robertson, Oxford; US edition by Barnes and Noble, New York Douglas JWB and Blomfield JM (1958) Children under five. Allen and Unwin Ltd, London. Wadsworth MEJ (1991) The imprint of time: Childhood, History and Adult life. Oxord University Press.
