Lay summary
The Dunedin Study will extend its highly productive longitudinal study of life-course factors affecting the Aging Process, whereby 994 living Study members aged 52 will be re-assessed in 2024-2026. We will examine Māori health, including mental health and treatment inequities, by combining data with the Christchurch Health and Development Study to create the most intensively studied cohort of Māori followed from birth to midlife. We will examine the breadth of chronic conditions and disabilities among Study members to meet the needs of disabled people with their input. We will investigate how the lives (social, psychological, physical) of Study members have changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our research will inform early intervention efforts and new diagnostic tools to support healthy aging. Working with next- and end-users, we will provide robust data to inform the provision of optimised healthcare for people with chronic conditions or disability.