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European Journal of Epidemiology
Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology 11/2009

Open Access 01-11-2009 | COMMENTARY

Population ageing research: a family of disciplines

Authors: Ronald P. Stolk, Inge Hutter, Rafael P. M. Wittek

Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology | Issue 11/2009

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Abstract

To study life course trajectories and ageing, scientific expertise is needed beyond epidemiology. More specifically, appropriate models of life course require a theoretical micro-foundation, need to incorporate multi-level context conditions and the interplay between them. It also requires the application of additional social scientific research methods that go beyond the application of statistical methods based on the multi-stage life table. These research theories and methods are available in disciplines like sociology, cultural anthropology, psychology, demography and economics. To effectively study healthy ageing of populations the individual approach of epidemiology has to be extended with the macro-population and socio-cultural approach of (social) demography and the institutional and network approaches of sociology.
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Metadata
Title
Population ageing research: a family of disciplines
Authors
Ronald P. Stolk
Inge Hutter
Rafael P. M. Wittek
Publication date
01-11-2009
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
European Journal of Epidemiology / Issue 11/2009
Print ISSN: 0393-2990
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7284
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-009-9398-8

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