We propose to develop CD-AGING, a CD-ROM containing databases useful to researchers on human aging. The project will involve selecting and reformatting the databases, and embedding them in a PC environment that will support easy access to the data for viewing and for processing by familiar analysis tools, including: spreadsheets, relational dbms, and statistical analysis software such as SAS, SPSS-X and BMDP. With the graying of the overall US population, there is increased need to address research questions pertinent to the older population. To this end, many useful databases have been constructed, especially by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The work to be done here is to make some of those databases more conveniently available by storing them in an appropriate software environment on CD-ROM. CD-ROM is a computer storage medium, like floppy disk, but with much greater capacity (about 650 megabytes per disc) and with faster access parameters. Unlike floppy disk, CD-ROM is a read-only device (it is written once at the time of its creation). Furthermore, it is inexpensive to make, and works very well with IBM compatible personal computers, making it possible to perform database operations on a PC that formerly had required mainframe computers.
