In general, variables in the CLSA dataset reflect the interview process. In some cases, follow-up questions were only asked if specific answers were given to preceding questions.

Blank values in the Baseline data can represent multiple types of missing data, including:

Valid skip patterns. For example, number of daughters and sons are only asked if the participant answered that they have at least one child. In the CLSA dataset, participants with no children will have blank values for both.

Missing data due to non-completion. There are some participants who skipped entire sections of baseline interview, and therefore have blanks for all the questions in those sections. Indicator variables such as ADM_COMPLETE_MCQ are provided in the documentation accompanying data release and should be consulted when there are large number of missing data to determine if it is due to a participant not completing a section.

In the Follow-up 1 and Follow-up 2 datasets, missing data have been assigned various codes according to the reason the data are missing. Details of the different types of missing data are provided in the data dictionaries accompanying datasets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to some of the most common queries about the CLSA.

Who can apply to use CLSA data?

The CLSA data are currently available to approved public sector researchers, with no preferential or exclusive access for any individual. The CLSA welcomes applications from graduate students and postdoctoral or clinical fellows who wish to use the CLSA data for their thesis research or for their thesis or fellowship research, respectively. For trainee applications (Masters, PhD, postdoctoral or clinical fellows), the primary applicant must be the supervisor and the student must be clearly identified in the Trainee section of the application. The primary applicant must hold an eligible appointment (continuing or term appointment) at an eligible institution that is able to uphold the conditions of the data access agreement, administer grant funds and provide Research Ethics Board approval.

How do I get access to the data?

Researchers are invited to submit data access requests using Magnolia, the CLSA’s online data access application system. Requests to access the CLSA data are reviewed by the Data and Sample Access Committee (DSAC). Please consult Researcher Resources, which includes the Data and Sample Access Policy and Guiding Principles, the CLSA protocol(s), the CLSA Data Collection tools and resources, and the information on the data access application process before preparing an application.

What are the fees for access to CLSA data?

Currently the charge for partial cost recovery per application is $3,000 CAD for applications within Canada and $5,000 USD for international applications. This includes access to the Baseline, Follow-up 1, Follow-up 2, or all three datasets. Due to the additional work required to make some data research ready, additional fees apply for access to image files, raw data, and datasets that require more complex customization. Please see the table of additional fees under Data Access. The fees are payable for the retrieval and preparation of the dataset per approved project, not for each project team member.

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