Country
Work Package 1
13) International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS)
The International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) is a population-based, multicentre, prospective longitudinal cohort study investigating mobility disability and ageing trajectories. The study adopts an interdisciplinary approach, integrating social and biomedical perspectives, with a particular focus on gender and life-course influences on health in older adults.
The study is conducted across five cities in four countries: Tirana (Albania), Natal (Brazil), Manizales (Colombia), Kingston (Ontario, Canada), and Saint-Hyacinthe (Quebec, Canada).
Type of Study
A longitudinal, population-based prospective cohort study with a multidisciplinary design. Data were collected across three waves: baseline in 2012, followed by 2-year (2014) and 4-year (2016) follow-ups.
Data Collection
Data collection included structured face-to-face interviews conducted in participants’ homes, alongside objective physical performance measures, cognitive assessments, and laboratory biomarkers. Comprehensive questionnaires captured information on sociodemographic characteristics, life-course adversity, social networks, mobility, and quality of life. Cognitive function was assessed using the Leganés Cognitive Test (LCT) across all sites and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in Canadian sites.
Sample Size
At baseline, approximately 2,002 participants aged 65–74 years were recruited, with balanced sampling by sex (approximately 200 men and 200 women per site).
Sample Size Characteristics
Participants were community-dwelling older adults aged 65–74 years, stratified by sex. Recruitment was conducted through primary care registers or mailing lists, depending on the site. Individuals with severe cognitive impairment (defined as a score below 4 on the LCT orientation scale) were excluded from participation.
Measurement of Mental Health
- Depressive symptoms were assessed at each wave using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), with a commonly applied threshold of ≥16 indicating clinically relevant depressive symptomatology.
- The study also includes broader indicators of mental health and wellbeing, such as measures of quality of life, life satisfaction, and social cohesion. Social context is assessed using the IMIAS Social Networks and Support Scale (IMIAS-SNSS), a validated instrument capturing support from family, partners, children, and friends.
Cohort Profile Available
Yes, Gomez et al. Cohort Profile: The International Mobility In Aging Study (IMIAS). International Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 47, Issue 5, 1393-1393, 2018, DOI:10.1093/ije/dyy074.
Key Publications
- Lys R et al. Improved mood despite worsening physical health in older adults: Findings from the International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS), PLOS ONE, Volume 14, Issue 4, 2019, DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0214988.
- Turuba R. Assessing the relationship between multimorbidity and depression in older men and women: the International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS). Aging & Mental Health, Volume 24, Issue 5, 747–757, 2020. DOI:10.1080/13607863.2019.1571018.
- Ahmed T et al. Validation of a Social Networks and Support Measurement Tool for Use in International Aging Research: The International Mobility in Aging Study. J Cross Cult Gerontol, Volume 33, 101–120, 2018. DOI:10.1007/s10823-018-9344-x.
Open Access
The IMIAS dataset is not fully open access. Data are available upon request, subject to ethical approval and site-specific governance procedures. For example, access to data from the Kingston site is governed by Queen’s University ethics protocols, while access to other site data is typically coordinated through the principal investigator. There is no central public data repository.
Contact For Collaboration and Possible Access
Principal Investigator: Ricardo Oliveira Guerra, Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (Natal, Brazil). Email: ricardo.guerra@ufrn.br
For Canadian-led analyses or site-specific data (e.g. Kingston), contact Maria Victoria Zunzunegui (affiliated with Queen’s University and Université de Montréal), who is listed in publications as a data custodian for the Canadian site.