of Work: This project is concerned with optimal management and scientific description of the total BLSA population, which includes, as of 6/30/97, 1113 active participants (545 women; 568 men), 618 inactive (253 women; 365 men), and 720 deceased (93 women; 627 men). At present, 12% of all active men, and 15% of the active women, are African American. Participant Management. Between 7/1/96 and 6/30/97, 547 participants visited the GRC for the regular 2- to 2 1/2-day visit. This includes 68 new participants (34 white; 34 minority), and 34 formerly inactive participants. A high priority since the LSB was created has been continuous, and systematic follow-up, and re-enrollment efforts directed at partially inactive participants, and attrition prevention strategies targeting currenting active participants. With the employment of Dr. Radziszewska, who came on board in November of 1996 as Project Director for the follow-up, these objectives will be realized. Telephone interviews will begin in early FY98. Her current functions include preparations for computer-assisted telephone interviews with inactive participants, administering a new transportation program for local participants, conducting survey research with active participants to collect data pertinent to subject retention, and participation in planning the BLSA's 40th annversary celebration in 1998. The most recent telephone follow-up of inactive BLSA participants was completed in 1992 to collect and update demographic information, health, cognitive, and functional status, depressive state, reasons for not returning to the GRC, and plans for continued participation. Deceased Participants. Currently on file are death certificates for 96% of the deceased, physician and/or hospital reports for 40%, and autopsy reports for 17%. A major activity for the NIA-JHMI autopsy program for the BLSA has been contact with participants signed up for autopsy, and their next of kin as well as efforts to arrange for pathologists for those too far from Baltimore to have autopsy at Johns Hopkins. Cause of death information is kept current by LSB staff with the cooperation of two staff physicians from LCP and LCS who assist with cause-of-death coding according to a system developed at the GRC and using all available death information. In addition, cause of death is coded according to the standardized NCHS coding system using only death certificate information.
