Aims

Longitudinal research involves the repeated observation and measurement of the same individuals or households over a period of time. Britain is unique in the world in having a series of longitudinal studies spanning births over the last 50 years. Britain also has one of the world's leading household panel studies that has followed the members of the same 5,000 households since 1992.

Longitudinal research is the best means we have for understanding life in modern Britain. It has much to say about new challenges ranging from the effect of diet and environmental changes on health and well-being, to the social and economic consequences of longevity and the ageing population. Good policy is founded on the evidence that the best longitudinal research can provide. Longview's aims are:

  1. To promote longitudinal research to policy makers, social scientists, behavioural scientists and health scientists, and funders and inform the general public.
  2. To improve communication between policy makers and researchers about the results of longitudinal enquiry and the questions that it should address.
  3. To help meet the challenges of undertaking longitudinal enquiry through methodological development and improved survey practice.
  4. To seek means of integrating theoretical perspectives and research approaches across the scientific disciplines engaged in longitudinal study.
  5. To appraise capacity in the UK to design, undertake, analyse the data and interpret the results of longitudinal research, identifying the training needs in different sections of the longitudinal research community.

 

Note from Longview - The Economic Value of Longitudinal Research