MIDUS (for review)

Overview

The MIDUS logo. Midlife in the United States. A National Study of Health and Well-Being

The first national survey of Midlife Development in the U.S. (MIDUS) was conducted in 1995-96 by the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development. A multidisciplinary team of scholars from the fields of psychology, sociology, epidemiology, demography, anthropology, medicine, and health care policy developed the MIDUS study to investigate the role of behavioral, psychological, and social factors in age-related variations in health and well-being.

Since the first survey, MIDUS has continued gathering various types of data from long-time volunteer participants through various means, including surveys, biomarker and cognitive testing, and sleep and activity monitoring. Georgetown University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and UCLA have all conducted various components of the project, working collaboratively to determine the factors that contribute to overall well-being as people age. (For a complete description of each project, please visit the MIDUS website at UW-Madison.)