A multi-generation database of U.S. birth, census, military, and death records
LIFE-M 2.0: Data Infrastructure for Understanding the Longitudinal and Intergenerational Determinants of Health and Aging
This project builds a public database that links birth, marriage, census, military, and death records across generations to help researchers understand health and aging for U.S. populations, with special attention to women and minorities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11300231 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will link millions of historical records — births, marriages, deaths, decennial censuses, Social Security files, and World War I and II draft/enlistment records — across up to four generations from the late 19th to mid-20th century. They will expand geographic coverage by adding vital records from seven more states and digitize millions of causes of death to improve health information. The linked data will be cleaned, harmonized, and made publicly available through the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). Researchers will be able to use the resource to study how early-life and intergenerational factors relate to health and aging, particularly for understudied groups.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll living patients, but families whose ancestors lived in the included U.S. states between the late 1800s and mid-1900s could find their records represented in the dataset.
Not a fit: If you are seeking direct clinical care or immediate personal results, this project will not provide treatment or individualized health information.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the resource could help researchers identify how early-life events and family history influence later health and aging, informing prevention and policy decisions that benefit populations over time.
How similar studies have performed: Other linked historical population databases have revealed connections between childhood conditions and later-life health, and this larger, publicly accessible resource aims to extend and broaden those findings.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bailey, Martha Jane — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Bailey, Martha Jane
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.