Life style, ageing and health among the ederly : a longitudinal population study of 70-year-olds / Dan Mellström.

Tese (doutor) - University of Göteborg, 1981

Life Style, Ageing and Health among the Elderly. A longitudinal population study of 70-year-olds, by Dan MLife Style, Ageing and Health among the Elderly. A longitudinal population study of 70-year-olds, by Dan Mellström, Department of Geriatric and Long-Term Care Medicine, Vasa Hospital, University of Göteborg, Sweden. The population study of a representative sample of three tenths of all 70-year-old men and women in Göteborg provided an opportunity for studying several risk factors for morbidity and mortality. The risk factors studied were: a perceived loneliness, mortality after bereavement, long-standing alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, and partial gastrectomy. A perceived loneliness was found in 12% of the men and in 25% of the women. Definable disease or handicaps were not associated with loneliness but subjects with loneliness consumed more drugs and used more medical service. Widowhood was the most important item associated with perceived loneliness. A study of all people aged 50-90 who became widowed in Sweden during 1968 to 1978 (about 360 000) was made in cooperation with the National Central Bureau of Statistics. The mortality in the age -group 70-74 was 22% higher among widows and 48% higher among widowers within 3 months of bereavement. The mortality among widowed people was still after 11 years of bereavement higher compared with that of married subjects, though at a lower level. About ten per cent of the men had been registered twice or more at the Tenperance Board and were considered to be heavy con-sumers of alcohol. They had a higher incidence of diabetes and chronic bronchitis, and a lower pulmonary capacity, muscular strength, bone mineral content, cognitive function, visual acuity and locomotor function. About 45% of the 70-year-old men were smokers and, compared to non-smokers, lost almost twice as much body weight between the ages of 70 and 75. Morbidity was higher among smokers: chronic bronchitis occurred in 24% (7% in non--smoKers), intermittent claudication in 11% (2%)' anamnestic poptic ulcers in 28% (11%). The bone mineral content, as measured ;with dual absorptiometry on the heel bone, was lovwer among smokers even after adjustment for body weight, alcohol abuse and partial gastr-ectomy. Several blood components were changed among smokers com-pared with non-smokers. The ratio of lecithin/lysolecithin in plasma was higher both among alcohol addicts and smokers, suggest-ing an altered gonadal function with higher relative estrogenic influence. The excessive tobacco smoking among men with partial gestrectomy (10% of all men) had an impact on cancer incidence. Smoking-related cancer forms were found in 26% of the subjects with partial gastrectomy compared to 12% among others.