Since 1996, fresh baseline samples of the 40- to 85-year-old population living in private households have been drawn every six years. These samples are randomly selected from population registers using a stratified and clustered design based on age, gender, and region (East/West Germany). Participants are then personally interviewed by trained interviewers. From the second wave (2002) onwards, panel-ready respondents from previous baseline surveys have been re-interviewed, except for those from the separately drawn foreigner sample of 2002, which was not included in the longitudinal study. After the 2008 survey, the interval between panel waves was shortened from six to three years.
The first wave in 1996 included only individuals with German citizenship. In 2002, separate samples of Germans and non-Germans were drawn for the baseline survey. Since 2008, the baseline sample has been selected from the total population of 40- to 85-year-olds living in private households, regardless of nationality. In 2021, only those born between 1975 and 1980 were included as a new baseline sample ("refreshment sample") and surveyed for the first time.
The 2023 survey was a pure follow-up study, including all still-accessible and panel-ready participants from the 1996 to 2014 baseline samples, as well as those from the 2021 refreshment sample.
The next combined baseline and panel survey of DEAS is currently being prepared for 2026.
The first survey wave of DEAS took place in 1996. In 2002, participants from this initial wave were reinterviewed, while a new cross-sectional sample of 40- to 85-year-olds (DEAS 2002) was also drawn and surveyed. The third wave in 2008 (DEAS 2008) included both a follow-up survey of individuals who had already participated in 1996 and 2002, as well as a new cross-sectional sample.
After the third wave, the interval between follow-up surveys was shortened: Since then, they have been conducted every three years, most recently in 2023. To better capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, additional follow-up surveys were carried out in 2020 and 2020/21 in quick succession.
The last survey with a newly drawn population sample took place in 2014 (B 2014), supplemented by a top-up survey of the 1975–1980 birth cohorts in 2021. The most recent survey, which included only panel participants from previous waves, was conducted in 2023.
For detailed information on the individual survey waves, additional available data, and data access, please refer to the links in the overview table:
DEAS Data
| Survey year 2023 | P 2023 |
| Survey Refresher 2021 ("2021a") | Refresher 2021 |
| Survey year 2020/21 ("2021") | P 2020/21 |
| Survey year 2020 (Short Survey) | P 2020 |
| Survey year 2017 | P 2017 |
| Survey year 2014 | |
| Survey year 2011 | P 2011 |
| Survey year 2008 | B 2008 P 2008 Job demands |
| Survey year 2002 | B 2002 P 2002 A 2002 Job demands |
| Survey year 1996 | B 1996 |
| Participation history | DEAS Meta |
| Data access | Access to DEAS data |
| Documentation | Documentation |