WHAS II

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. With concern increasing in the U.S. to understand how to decrease the burden of disability associated with aging, we have been conducting a study to define older women at risk of disability and the causes of disablement. This study is conducted with support of space and personnel from the OPD-GCRC and through an investigator-initiated RO1 from the National Institute on Aging entitled "Risk Factors for Physical Disability in Aging Women". The study, referred to as the Women's Health and Aging Study II (WHAS II), is a prospective, observational study of a cohort of 436 women 70-79 years of age at baseline, to determine the characteristics of early functional decline, termed "preclinical disability", the risk factors and underlying causes of preclinical disability and progression to disability and dependency and whether early decrements in physical functioning are predictive of future disability. The study was refunded in June 2000 through a competitive renewal of the R01 to conduct 3 more examinations over a 5-year period. We were granted a no cost extension which supports the study from 6/1/05 thru 5/31/06.