It is an individual-based longitudinal data collection across various sectors, including indicators for ageing, health and social care needs, medical and psychological well-being, and care services provided by local social service providers. While the national government initiated and funds the study, the selection of sites, planning, and execution of the study have been the responsibility of regional research institutes in collaboration with municipalities. The study included 10,588 people over the age of 60 who took part between 2001 and 2012.

A well-functioning care system for older people that is based on available resources and addresses the needs of older people in the best way possible necessitates good knowledge about these needs and how older people can best benefit from care provision. SNAC intends to broaden this understanding.

SNAC is a long-term (30 years or more) sectoral individual-based data collection that describes ageing, health, and the emergence of social care needs from a social, medical, and psychological standpoint and documents the care that individuals receive at the local regional level. Data on informal care from family members and non-governmental organisations is also collected. The information is stored in a longitudinal database.

The goal of this research is to follow individual interventions and care delivery in the region over time to see how health and social care needs change, how well they are met, and what impact a holistic approach can have.

The Kungsholmen SNAC study looked specifically at the prevalence of disability among 80-90-year-olds over a 20-year period and investigates how vascular risk factors affect the rate of cognitive decline in older age. They gathered information on whether a person aged 80 to 90 could perform basic daily activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, moving from bed to chair, and going to the toilet without assistance.