1950 U.S. Census database to understand aging and Alzheimer's
Prospective Microdata for Research on Aging
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · NIH-11250121
This project links the 1950 U.S. Census to modern health and death records to show how childhood conditions affect aging and Alzheimer's risk for people who were young in 1950.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (MINNEAPOLIS, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11250121 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you were young in 1950, this project will turn the full 1950 U.S. Census into a searchable digital database and link your records to later health surveys, administrative files, and the national death index. That lets researchers trace how early-life family, neighborhood, education, and economic conditions relate to dementia and other health issues later in life. The team will transcribe the entire census, check data quality, and create secure linkages while protecting privacy. It does not offer medical treatment but could help pinpoint long-term risk factors and inform prevention and policy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who were children or young adults in 1950 whose historical records can be linked to later health or administrative data in the United States.
Not a fit: People born after 1950 or those without linkable historical records will not be represented and therefore are unlikely to benefit directly from this database.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this resource could reveal early-life factors that raise or lower Alzheimer's risk and guide better prevention and policy decisions.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller-scale projects have linked historical records to later health outcomes with useful findings, but creating a full national 1950 microdata linkage at this scale is novel.
Where this research is happening
MINNEAPOLIS, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA — MINNEAPOLIS, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: RUGGLES, STEVE — UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- Study coordinator: RUGGLES, STEVE
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease