GERDA is short for Gerontological Regional Database and is a research collaboration between Umeå University, Åbo Akademi University, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, and Åland University of Applied Sciences. The data for the GERDA-survey is collected with a postal questionnaire sent to older adults aged 65 years and older. Data has been collected in 2005, 2010, 2016, and 2021 (ongoing). In Finland, the questionnaire has been sent out in either Finnish or Swedish depending on the respondent’s registered mother tongue. The following cohorts and areas are included in the collections: 2005: Individuals born in 1930 and 1940 in all municipalities in Västerbotten (Sweden) and all municipalities in Ostrobothnia (Finland). Number of individuals included in the data set: 3370. 2010: Individuals born in 1930, 1935, 1940, and 1945 in all municipalities in Västerbotten and all municipalities in Ostrobothnia. Number of individuals included in the data set: 6838. 2016: Individuals born in 1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, and 1950 in all municipalities in Västerbotten, all municipalities in Ostrobothnia, and the Seinäjoki-area in Southern Ostrobothnia. Number of individuals included in the data set: 9386. 2021: Individuals born in 1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, 1950, and 1955 in all municipalities in Västerbotten, all municipalities in Ostrobothnia, all municipalities in Southern Ostrobothnia, and on the Åland Islands. The data collection is still ongoing. Longitudinal analyses is possible between the data collections in 2010 and 2016, and in the future also 2021. The questions included in the survey have mainly been the same throughout the years, but some differences between the data collections occur. List of main themes: Background (e.g. gender, civil status, educational level), Social contacts, activities and hobbies, age perception and ageism, societal participation (civic and political participation, trust), informal caregiving, health and diseases (e.g. self-rated health, pain, vision, hearing, physical ability, falls), community services, economy, perceived well-being, crises (negative life events). The questionnaires (in Swedish and Finnish) can be found on our website: www.gerdacenter.com/data-collections. New themes in 2021: Welfare technology, COVID-19, alcohol consumption Access to the data can be granted through an application to the GERDA steering group. Contact details and more information can be found on our website: www.gerdacenter.com

2021