Cohort Profile: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing

Abstract

How did the study come about?\nIreland shares with other developed countries the prospect\nof rapid and sustained population ageing. The\nage distribution of the Irish population is undergoing\na dramatic change at present and this trend is predicted\nto continue into the future.1 People are living\nlonger, and older persons represent a larger proportion\nof the population. In Ireland, the proportion of\nthe population aged 565 years has remained steady\nat 11% for the past 40 years. However, it is projected\nthat this proportion will rise to 14% by 2021 and to\n19% by 2031.2 The greatest increase will be in the\noldest old, aged 480 years, which is expected to\nmore than treble by 2036.2 This change in the demographic\nprofile of the Irish population poses a major\npublic health challenge.