ASKING THE AGE QUESTION IN ELDERLY POPULATIONS - A REVERSE RECORD CHECK STUDY

In two large-scale surveys among elderly respondents we evaluated the accuracy of answers obtained to three differently formulated age quest ions. Respondents included 6,149 individuals aged 65-86 living in The Netherlands. Because criterion age data were available from different sources, it was possible to compare the respondent's reported age with his or her actual age. Refusal rates were low for all three questions . Both age and cognitive capabilities influenced accuracy of the answe rs to the age questions. The results indicated that the most accurate data were obtained with the question, ''What is your date of birth?'' in combination with interview date.