Common methodological issues in observational epidemiological studies of older adults

Key messages Selection bias, multimorbidity, measurement error, and long latency periods present challenges for epidemiological research on older adultsSolutions at both the study design and analysis phases can be effectively applied to reduce bias from common methodological challengesThere are many approaches to overcome challenges but no one-size-fits-all solutions exist for every research question and design Emma Nichols and Eleanor Hayes-Larson review common challenges in the design and analysis of observational epidemiological studies of older adults and discuss potential approaches to reduce bias in future researchIntroduction Expected trends in population ageing and the burden of age related chronic diseases underscore the need for high quality epidemiological studies of older adults (eg, people aged 60 years and older).