SHARE Gli Ultracinquantenni in Europa
ITEN

SHARE

Access the data

Numbers for Italy

  • 9,500+individuals interviewed
  • 6,100+Italian households involved
  • 46,000+interviews conducted
Map of the European countries participating in SHARE

SHARE in Europe

28 countries, one survey

SHARE covers almost all European Union countries, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, along with some non-EU countries. The harmonised methodology makes the data collected fully comparable across countries, allowing the study of European population ageing in all its complexity.

SHARE currently covers the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

What is SHARE?

Gli Ultracinquantenni in Europa — SHARE

(Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe) is the European research infrastructure that studies ageing, health and living conditions of people aged 50 or over, following the same participants over time in dozens of countries.

A longitudinal study

SHARE follows the same participants over time, making it possible to observe how health, economic conditions and quality of life evolve during the ageing process.

An international comparison

Data are collected with harmonised methodologies in the participating countries, allowing reliable comparisons across different social, economic and health contexts.

A global research network

SHARE is part of the international network of the main longitudinal surveys on ageing, fostering comparative analyses on a worldwide scale.

A resource for research and public policy

SHARE data are used by thousands of researchers and contribute to the development of evidence-based public policies.

Elderly man seen from behind sitting on a bench in a park in autumn
Photo by Rafael Rodrigues on Pexels

The interviews collect information on

  • Health and ageing — physical and mental health, disability, lifestyles, nutrition and use of healthcare services.
  • Work and pensions — labour market participation, retirement, pension reforms and the economic consequences of leaving work.
  • Economic conditions — income, wealth, consumption, financial hardship and inequality among the elderly population.
  • Cognition and digital inclusion — changes in cognitive abilities, autonomy and gaps in access to technology.
  • Family and social networks — informal care, intergenerational transfers, family relationships and social support.

Every interview helps increase knowledge about population ageing and the living conditions of people aged 50 or over. The information collected, handled in full compliance with personal data protection legislation and used exclusively for scientific purposes, helps researchers and policymakers understand social change and design more effective policies in the fields of health, welfare, work and pensions.

The participation of each selected person is precious: only thanks to respondents’ willingness is it possible to follow the evolution of living conditions over time and build reliable data for the benefit of scientific research and the community.

Information materials
Grandfather helping his grandson with homework
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Pexels
Elderly couple hugging outdoors
Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels

Every interview is a contribution to research

Thanks to the participation of thousands of citizens across Europe, SHARE helps to understand social change and to build useful knowledge to improve policies dedicated to ageing.