Sri Vijaya Puram, March 18: The Indian Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR), Bangalore has completed an intensive training programme for field investigators in the A&N Islands as part of the second wave of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI). IIHMR is serving as the field agency for Andaman & Nicobar Islands under the direction of the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), an autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
LASI Wave‑2 is India’s flagship study on ageing, designed to generate nationally representative data on adults aged 45 years and above and their spouses. The survey instrument comprises three schedules- household, individual and community health surveys. Household questionnaires collect detailed information on housing conditions, access to water, sanitation and electricity, consumption patterns, assets and debts, income and insurance. Individual interviews cover demographics, work history, retirement, self‑reported health and mental health, cognitive functioning, family and social networks, and health‑care utilization. The survey also incorporates health assessments, including measurements of blood pressure, pulse, hand‑grip strength, balance, vision, height, weight, waist/hip circumference and spirometry, along with dried blood spot collection for laboratory analysis.
Sixteen field investigators were trained intensively. They received hands on practice in obtaining informed consent, administering Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) instruments, and conducting health assessments. Mock interviews and supervised field visits to both urban and rural communities ensure that each investigator can build rapport with participants and accurately collect sensitive information. Our field investigators are committed to collect high quality data that will inform policies for healthy and active ageing. The designated core team members are Dr. Gyan Chandra Kashyap (State Project Coordinator), supported by Dr. Snehgdha Biswas (State Health Coordinator); Dr. Sarthak Sengupta (State IT Coordinator), Dr. Kumar Chiman Sinha (State Demographer) and Shri Abhishek Kumar (Research Officer).
IIHMR team has launched fieldwork today and data collection process will go till mid of June across the islands, contributing to a national dataset that will guide evidence‑based planning and resource allocation for India’s rapidly ageing population.