Extending Life, Enhancing Life A National Research Agenda on Aging (1991) / Chapter Skim
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1. Introduction
1. Introduction
Pages 40-46
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From page 40... ...
In addition to building the foundation for what is becoming one of the nation's major new scientific efforts, recent financial investments in aging have already yielded important research findings across a spectrum of inquiry, including the basic mechanisms of aging, the physiology of normal aging, the social and behavioral aspects of aging, health services research for older persons, and the etiology and management of age-related disease. A bibliometric search, conducted in conjunction with the project that forms the basis of this report, shows that between 1983 and 1987, taking into account overall growth in research, there was a 70 percent relative increase in scholarly publications in aging.
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From page 41... ...
The burgeoning elderly population will increasingly burden the nation's fiscally troubled health care system. Despite our recognition that investments in research ultimately yield substantial financial, clinical, and social benefits, the nation's commitment to aging research is minuscule in comparison to the costs of health care for older persons.
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From page 42... ...
effort to develop a plan in recognition of this need at the request of a number of federal agencies and foundations. The IOM convened 87 experts from various fields relevant to aging and age-related research in a two-year study to identify the needs and opportunities for research on aging in basic biomedical science, social and behavioral sciences, clinical medicine, health services delivery, and biomedical ethics.
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From page 43... ...
In the final or third stage of this effort, the IOM will work to bring the report to the attention of policymakers, the scientific community, and the general public. The National Research Agenda on Aging builds on two previous documents developed by the NIA—a 1978 report, Our Future Selves, ant]
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From page 44... ...
· The functional capacity of the elderly: The enormous importance of functional capacity as a determinant of the care needs of older persons dictates a special focus on those factors that limit the activity of elderly individuals and impair their independence. · The feasibility and timeliness of the research: The committee was sensitive to the fact that "pie-in-the-sky" research agendas must be avoided in favor of feasible research, that is, research whose "time has come." Similarly, an overly conservative research strategy must be avoicled since major breakthroughs often are made when special, timely windows of opportunity present themselves.
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From page 45... ...
Longitudinal studies, although inherently more time-consuming and expensive than crosscohort studies, are relevant to all domains of research from basic science through clinical investigation to health services research.
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From page 46... ...
may be implemented by the techniques and mechanisms special to the field of health services delivery. This discipline often serves as the interface between scientific application and political policy decisions affecting the delivery of health care to millions of Americans.
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