Table.
11 UK longitudinal studies
| Design and sample frame | 2020 age range, years | Pre-pandemic survey | Details of COVID-19 surveys (response rate) | Mental health measure | Serology data | Participants with data analysed, n | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age homogenous cohorts | |||||||
| Millennium Cohort Study | Cohort of UK children born between September, 2000, and January, 2002, with regular follow-up surveys from birth | 18–20 | 2018 | Three surveys: May 2020 (26·6%); September–October, 2020 (24·2%); February–March, 2021 (22%) | Kessler Psychological Distress Scale-6 | 987 valid samples obtained April–June, 2021 | 4652 |
| Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children-Generation 1 | Cohort of children born in southwest England between April, 1991, and December, 1992, with regular follow-up surveys from birth (original young people) | 27–29 | 2017–18 | Three surveys: April, 2020 (19%); June, 2020 (17·4%); December, 2020 (26·4%) | Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire | NA | 2498 |
| Next Steps (formerly known as Longitudinal Study of Young People in England) | Sample recruited via secondary schools in England at about age 13 years with regular follow-up surveys | 29–31 | 2015 | Three surveys: May, 2020 (20·3%); September–October, 2020 (31·8%); February–March, 2021 (29%) | General Health Questionnaire 12 | 1037 valid samples obtained April–June, 2021 | 4092 |
| British Cohort Study 1970 | Cohort of all children born in Great Britain (ie, England, Wales, and Scotland) in 1 week in 1970, with regular follow-up surveys from birth. | 50 | 2016 | Three surveys: May, 2020 (40·4%); September–October, 2020 (43·9%); February–March, 2021 (40%) | 9-item Malaise Inventory | 2074 valid samples obtained April −June, 2021 | 5545 |
| National Child Development Study | Cohort of all children born in Great Britain (ie, England, Wales, and Scotland) in 1 week in 1958, with regular follow-up surveys from birth | 62 | 2013 | Three surveys: May, 2020 (57·9%); September–October, 2020 (53·9%); February–March, 2021 (52%) | 9-item Malaise Inventory | 2722 valid samples obtained April–June, 2021 | 6696 |
| National Survey of Health and Development | Cohort of all children born in Great Britain (ie, England, Wales, and Scotland) in 1 week in 1946, with regular follow-up surveys from birth | 74 | 2015 | Three surveys: May, 2020 (68·2%); September–October, 2020 (61·5%); February–March, 2021 (89·9%) | General Health Questionnaire 12 | 697 valid samples obtained April–June, 2021 | 1721 |
| Age heterogeneous studies | |||||||
| Understanding Society: the UK Household Longitudinal Survey | A nationally representative longitudinal household panel study, based on a clustered-stratified probability sample of UK households, with all adults aged 16 years or older in selected households surveyed annually | 16–96 | 2018–19 | Eight surveys (full or partial interview): April, 2020 (42·0%); May, 2020 (35·1%); June, 2020 (33·5%); July, 2020 (32·6%); September, 2020 (30·6%); November, 2020 (28·6%); January, 2021 (28·5%); March, 2021 (30·2%) | General Health Questionnaire 12 | 6006 valid samples obtained April–June, 2021 | 14 154 |
| English Longitudinal Study of Aging | A nationally representative population study of individuals aged 50 years and older living in England, with biennial surveys and periodic refreshing of the sample to maintain representativeness | 52–90+* | 2018–19 | Two surveys: June–July, 2020 (75%); November–December, 2020 (73%) | Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale | NA | 4752 |
| Generation Scotland: the Scottish Family Health Study | A family-structured, population-based Scottish cohort, with participants aged 18–99 years recruited between 2006 and 2011 | 27–100 | 2006–11 | Three surveys: April–June, 2020 (21·3%); July–August, 2020 (15·4%); February, 2021 (14·3%) | Patient Health Questionnaire 9 and Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment 7 | NA | 3937 |
| Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children-Generation 0 | Parents of the Avon Longitudinal Study (G1) cohort, treated as a separate age-heterogenous study population (original parents) | 45–81 | 2011–13 | Three surveys: April, 2020 (12·4%); June, 2020 (12·2%); December, 2020 (14·3%) | Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire | NA | 3258 |
| The UK Adult Twin Registry | A cohort of UK volunteer adult twins (55% monozygotic and 43% dizygotic) who were sampled between age 18 and 101 years | 22–96 | 2017–18 | Three surveys: July, 2020 (77·6%); November, 2020 (76·1%); March, 2021 (76%) | Hospital and Anxiety Depression Scale | 3137 valid samples obtained April, 2021 | 3137 |
NA=not applicable.
*
This study classified all people older than 90 years in the 90+ category to avoid disclosure of information, given the small number of participants older than 90 years.