FACTORS IN AGING: DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH RESOURCES

University Of Michigan At Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The mission of the National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA) is to create a data infrastructure to stimulate gerontological research and advance gerontological knowledge. Through the development and delivery of research resources and data services, NACDA alerts researchers to opportunities for secondary data analysis, provides tools to locate and access relevant materials, and enhances the available gerontological database. NACDA also offers state-of-the-art training on theoretical issues and analytic techniques related to secondary data analysis. By promoting and facilitating the use of extant resources for research and teaching, NACDA plays a vital role in the replication of previous results and the discovery of new findings. [unreadable] [unreadable] NACDA is responsible for archiving, upgrading, and disseminating the most comprehensive collection of electronic data and documentation in the gerontological sciences. Because of the explosive growth in gerontological data collections, there is an ongoing need for an organization that systematically locates, catalogs, provides, and preserves data in such a way that researchers can find and use them efficiently. There is also a need for an organization that helps the field deal with its information overload. NACDA has consistently filled a unique niche in the social sciences for the past quarter century and remains uniquely qualified to fulfill the role as the primary distributor of secondary data on aging in the United States.