Understanding Society - the UK Household Longitudinal Study Wave 16 v1

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Understanding Society Wave 16: Biomarker data collection in the UK Household Longitudinal Study

  • IRAS ID

    319149

  • Contact name

    Michaela Benzeval

  • Contact email

    mjbenz@essex.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Essex

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    4 years, 11 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    Understanding Society is a longitudinal survey of UK households which aims to investigate changes in people’s lives. We have previously (2010-12) included objective measures of people’s health – blood pressure, adiposity, measurements from blood samples - and would like to repeat the collection of these measures to understand change over approximately 15 years. However, the survey is now mainly conducted online and hence we will incorporate the collection of objective health measures using this approach with participants collecting their own sample. We have tested these methods to collect objective health measures in the Understanding Society Innovation Panel (IP) population sample, our methodological experiment platform, and based on that experience we are planning to collect biomarkers on the main population sample at Wave 16.

    Participants will be allocated to two groups: (i) “participant-led” where participants are invited to complete an online survey with self-measured and reported biomeasures and self-collection of biological samples; and (ii) “interviewer-led” with an interviewer collecting survey data, and biomeasures, with self-collection of biological samples. Across each group, blood pressure, waist and hip circumference, body measurements provided using a Body Volume Index App, and biological samples (blood and microbiome) will be collected. Height and weight will also be collected from participants in the interviewer-led group. Depending on which interview participants have, we would expect it to last 60-80 minutes. Participants will be offered feedback from selected blood results. Collecting biomarker data again on all adult participants for a general population survey will create significant new and unique scientific opportunities for a wide range of researchers worldwide.

    The Wave 16 Survey will be preceded by a pilot to ensure data are collected effectively and efficiently.

    Pseudo-anonymised data from the Wave 16 survey will be deposited in the UK Data Service to enable further research from this study.

  • REC name

    East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    22/EE/0260

  • Date of REC Opinion

    14 Dec 2022

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion