 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Chiyoe Murata, MPH, Takaaki Kondo, MD, PhD, Yoko Hori, Msc, PhD, Koji Tamakoshi, MD, PhD, Hiroshi Yatsuya, MD, PhD, and Hideaki Toyoshima, MD, PhD. Department of Public Health, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan, 052-744-2128, chiyoe@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Self rated health (SRH) predicts mortality and functional decline independently of other health related factors such as severity of disease, physical activity level or ADL limitations. Various studies examined possible link between SRH and health. One explanation is that SRH affects health through one's immune system. The other is that SRH reflects one's own health status. An issue here is whether SRH determines health or vice versa. In current study, we intended to clarify this issue by reviewing medical records and investigating the factors that may influence SRH and subsequent mortality. 1,348 community dwelling elderly in Japan were followed for 88 months with all cause mortality as an end point. Mortality risk for each level of SRH was calculated using COX proportional hazard model. Medical cost and hospitalization record for the year 1991 was collected. In the following year, survey on SRH, ADL, and social relationships, was conducted. Analysis of variance indicated that those consumed high medical cost in the previous year had SRH significantly lower than their counterparts. Moreover, those with low SRH had lower social relationships and higher functional limitations, which in turn, were independent predictive factors for the following all cause mortality. In the analysis, gender differences were observed in how social relationships, SRH and functional status influenced health. Factors that may contribute to such differences are investigated and implications for the care of the elderly are presented.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Health Care Utilization, Elderly
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.