China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2008
General Info
The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) began as a pilot survey in 2008, conducted in the provinces of Gansu and Zhejiang. The goal of the survey was to create a public microdatabase that contained comprehensive data on the elderly, their spouses, and their households. The 2008 survey used a multistage, stratified, random sampling method and it utilized household, individual and community questionnaires. With consent from participants, surveyors collected physical measurements of height, weight, waist circumference, leg and arm length, grip strength, pulse and lung capacity. Blood pressure measurements and blood tests were also conducted. The pilot survey covered 1,570 households (with one or more members 45 years and older) and 2,685 individuals. In comparison, the 2011 baseline survey covered over 17,000 individuals in 28 provinces.