Design of the Globe Study
The Gezondheid en Levens Omstandigheden Bevolking Eindhoven en omstreken (GLOBE) study is a longitudinal study that started in 1991. The study is designed to assess mechanisms and factors explaining socioeconomic inequalities in health in the Netherlands. Within the GLOBE study, information is asked on indicators of socioeconomic position, a range of potential explanatory factors (material, behavioural, psychosocial, and environmental) and health outcomes. From 2004 onwards, special emphasis was given to the identification of physical, social, and cultural environmental factors in the explanation of socioeconomic inequalities in health behaviours. Information from the baseline postal survey onwards can and has been linked to several registries of causes of death, hospital admissions, and cancer.
The baseline investigation occurred in 1991 among 18.973 respondents in the city of Eindhoven and surrounding cities. Two sub-samples of baseline survey respondents were invited to participate in additional in-depth interviews. The first subsample was a random subsample. The second subsample included an over-representation of chronically persons, based on self-reported information about chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or back problems. Both samples were interviewed and/or surveyed in 1991, 1997, 2004, 2011, and 2014, and are invited to participate again in 2021. The original 1991 sample was expanded with new participants in 2004, 2014, and 2021 to amplify the study population. The first (random) subsample was also interviewed in 1993 and 1995 and the second (chronically ill) subsample was interviewed in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995. Additionally, in-depth interviews were held in 2005 among a subsample of the 2004 survey respondents, in 2012 among a subsample of the 2011 survey respondents and in 2016 among a subsample of the 2014 survey respondents.
The GLOBE study is carried out by the department of Public Health at the Erasmus MC in close collaboration with the Municipal Health Service of Brabant South-East. The study is supported by grants from the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMW).
Researchers are cordially invited to contact the GLOBE team to propose research based on the data.
GLOBE Study – Timeline
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GLOBE – Baseline
GLOBE - BaselineThe baseline investigation involves a postal questionnaire regarding socioeconomic position (SEP), health, health behaviors, material factors, psychosocial factors, youth circumstances and sociodemographics. Information from the baseline postal survey onward has been linked to three main databases: the Cause-specific death registers from Statistics Netherlands; the National Medical Register including hospital admission information from all Dutch individuals; […] -
GLOBE – 1992 follow-up
GLOBE - 1992 follow-upOnly the chronically ill subsample was interviewed in 1992. The interview provided information about socioeconomic position, SEP-related information, health, health behaviors and sociodemographics. Information from the survey has been linked to three main databases: the Cause-specific death registers from Statistics Netherlands; the National Medical Register including hospital admission information from all Dutch individuals; and the […] -
GLOBE – 1993 follow-up
GLOBE - 1993 follow-upBoth subsamples were interviewed in 1993. The interview provided information about socioeconomic position, SEP-related information, health, health behaviors (random sample only), material factors, psychosocial factors and sociodemographics. Information from the survey has been linked to three main databases: the Cause-specific death registers from Statistics Netherlands; the National Medical Register including hospital admission information from all […] -
GLOBE – 1994 follow-up
GLOBE - 1994 follow-upOnly the chronically ill subsample was interviewed in 1994. The interview provided information about socioeconomic position, SEP-related information, health and sociodemographics. Information from the survey has been linked to three main databases: the Cause-specific death registers from Statistics Netherlands; the National Medical Register including hospital admission information from all Dutch individuals; and the Regional Cancer […] -
GLOBE – 1995 follow-up
GLOBE - 1995 follow-upBoth subsamples were interviewed in 1995. The interview provided information about socioeconomic position, SEP-related information, health and sociodemographics. Information from the survey has been linked to three main databases: the Cause-specific death registers from Statistics Netherlands; the National Medical Register including hospital admission information from all Dutch individuals; and the Regional Cancer Surveillance South. -
GLOBE – 1997 follow-up
GLOBE - 1997 follow-upBoth subsamples completed a postal survey and were interviewed. The postal survey collected information about health, health behaviors, material factors and sociodemographics. The interview provided information about socioeconomic position, SEP-related information, health, health behaviors (random sample only), psychosocial factors, cultural factors, youth circumstances and sociodemographics (random sample only). Information from the survey has been linked […] -
GLOBE – 2004 follow-up
GLOBE - 2004 follow-upBoth subsamples completed a postal survey Two other samples were added to the study: first, new participants and secondly, a sample from the baseline investigation who still lived in Eindhoven in 2004. The postal questionnaire provided information regarding socioeconomic position, SEP-related information, health, health behaviors, material factors, psychosocial factors, sociodemographics and the built environment. Information […] -
GLOBE – 2005 follow-up
GLOBE - follow-upIn 2005, two new sub-samples, who were selected among respondents in the 2004 survey and were living in seven of the most deprived and seven of the most affluent neighborhoods of Eindhoven, were invited for an interview. This in-depth interview provided information about socioeconomic position, SEP-related information, health behaviors, material factors, psychosocial factors, cultural factors, […] -
GLOBE – 2011 follow-up
GLOBE - 2011 follow-upAll available respondents to the 2004 questionnaire were invited again to participate in a postal survey. The postal questionnaire provided information about socioeconomic position, SEP-related information, material factors, psychosocial factors, cultural factors and sociodemographics. Information from the survey has been linked to three main databases: the Cause-specific death registers from Statistics Netherlands; the National Medical […] -
GLOBE – 2012 follow-up
GLOBE - 2012 follow-upA subsample of participants to the postal survey in 2011 were invited for an interview. The interview provided information regarding health, health behaviors, psychosocial factors, cultural factors and youth circumstances. Information from the survey has been linked to three main databases: the Cause-specific death registers from Statistics Netherlands; the National Medical Register including hospital admission […] -
GLOBE – 2014 follow-up
GLOBE - 2014 follow-upAll available respondents to the 2004 or 2011 questionnaires were invited again to participate in a postal survey. A new sample of residents from Eindhoven was also added to the study. The postal questionnaire provided information about socioeconomic position, SEP-related information, health, health behaviors, oral health, material factors, psychosocial factors, cultural factors, sociodemographics and social […] -
GLOBE – 2016 follow-up
GLOBE - 2016 follow-upA subsample of participants to the postal survey in 2014 were invited for an interview. The interview provided information regarding health, health behaviors, psychosocial factors, cultural factors, youth circumstances and social and cultural values. -
GLOBE – 2021 follow-up
GLOBE - 2021 follow-upAll respondents from previous waves still living in Eindhoven were invited to participate in the 2021 survey. A new sample of Eindhoven residents was also added to the study. The 2021 postal survey provides information on socioeconomic position, health, health behaviors, social network characteristics, living situation, material factors, psychosocial factors, cultural factors, and sociodemographics.