Fiona Matthews
Statistical epidemiology in ageing research
My programme of work covers both the methodological development and estimation of changes associated with ageing. Modelling the ageing process to correctly investigate individual differences, adjust for missing data and investigation of the correct formulation of the time process requires both good data and improved methodology. The programme covers the improvement in methodology and then application within applied scientific papers.
1. Healthy life expectancy and multi-state modelling
Undertaking research into modelling the measures of healthy life expectancy using longitudinal data, including the modelling process, measuring model fit, relaxing some of the assumptions and the investigation of missing data, and then undertaking analyses of health life in a variety of settings.
2. Cognitive modelling and modelling through the life course
Investigation of the changes in cognition through time, over age and near death. The modelling involves a detailed investigation of the patterns of change, the relationship with covariates, the impact of missing data and the relationship with mortality. In addition the research involves a cross Unit MRC collaboration project of ageing through the lifecourse. This is investigating meta-analytical methods for combining individual longitudinal tragectories to enable understanding the entire age range.
3. MRC Collaborative Group for the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study I and II (CFAS)
Overall strategic control (planning, co-ordination, and development) of statistical analysis within this large, UK, multi-centre, epidemiological, cohort study of ageing, cognitive decline and dementia. A new cohort CFAS II is currently underway, our role includes sampling, data managament and statistical oversight. Sub-studies of blood and brain tissue elucidate the role of genetic factors within ageing, and of the neuropathological processes which characterise dementia in the community. Other sub-studies investigate the costs of continuing care and the burden on carers.
4. Applied research
A varied series of investigations on the application of the above methodology and other robust statistical methodology on applied questions to do with ageing. This includes mild cognitive impairment (the transitional state between normal cognitive ageing and dementia), the relationship between ageing in life and pathology seen at death, autism in the UK and Netherlands, the investigation of disability it’s causes, incidence and recovery, and various aspects of healthy life expectancy (such as disability free life expectancy, cognitive impairment free life expectancy) and its causes and more generalised investigations of cognitive health with population settings. In addition this applied research is part of wider Cambridge collaborations on public health research and the policy implications of the ageing population.
Programme Members: Fiona Matthews, Lu Gao , Vikki O'Neill and Jasdeep Bhambra.
For more details about this programme please click here.