Trends in health expectancy indicators in the older adult population in Belgium between 1997 and 2004.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Van Oyen H
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5546274 | biostudies-other | 2008 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Project description:Record life expectancy does not appear to be approaching its limit-it is still increasing, as is the maximum life span. An important question is whether the longer life is accompanied by an increasing lifetime in good health. The aim of the study was to determine the trends in health expectancy at age 65 in Denmark during the period 1987-2005, including the end of a period of stagnation (until 1995) and the beginning of a new period with increasing life expectancy (after 1994). The study was based on nationwide register data on mortality and data on health status from the Danish Health Interview Surveys carried out in 1987, 1994, 2000, and 2005. Expected lifetime in various health states was estimated with Sullivan's method. Life expectancy at age 65 increased only after 1994 by almost 2 years among men and by about 1 year among women. The increase in expected lifetime without long-standing, limiting illness, lifetime without functional limitations, and lifetime with self-rated good health was all substantial in both genders (1.4-3 years depending on gender and health indicator), and was followed by a decrease in lifetime with the unhealthy state resulting in increasing proportions of lifetime in a healthy state. Overall, expected lifetime in good health increased more than life expectancy in both genders during the second half of the period 1987-2005, i.e. after the stagnation period.
| S-EPMC5547274 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundTimes of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to compromise mental health. Despite a large number of studies, evidence on the development of mental health in general populations during the pandemic is inconclusive. One reason may be that representative data spanning the whole pandemic and allowing for comparisons to pre-pandemic data are scarce.MethodsWe analyzed representative data from telephone surveys of Germany's adults. Three mental health indicators were observed in ~1,000 and later up to 3,000 randomly sampled participants monthly until June 2022: symptoms of depression (observed since April 2019, PHQ-2), symptoms of anxiety (GAD-2), and self-rated mental health (latter two observed since March 2021). We produced time series graphs including estimated three-month moving means and proportions of positive screens (PHQ/GAD-2 score ≥ 3) and reports of very good/excellent mental health, as well as smoothing curves. We also compared time periods between years. Analyses were stratified by sex, age, and level of education.ResultsWhile mean depressive symptom scores declined from the first wave of the pandemic to summer 2020, they increased from October 2020 and remained consistently elevated throughout 2021 with another increase between 2021 and 2022. Correspondingly, the proportion of positive screens first decreased from 11.1% in spring/summer 2019 to 9.3% in the same period in 2020 and then rose to 13.1% in 2021 and to 16.9% in 2022. While depressive symptoms increased in all subgroups at different times, developments among women (earlier increase), the youngest (notable increase in 2021) and eldest adults, as well as the high level of education group (both latter groups: early, continuous increases) stand out. However, the social gradient in symptom levels between education groups remained unchanged. Symptoms of anxiety also increased while self-rated mental health decreased between 2021 and 2022.ConclusionElevated symptom levels and reduced self-rated mental health at the end of our observation period in June 2022 call for further continuous mental health surveillance. Mental healthcare needs of the population should be monitored closely. Findings should serve to inform policymakers and clinicians of ongoing dynamics to guide health promotion, prevention, and care.
| S-EPMC9995751 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:The majority of U.S. older adults consume alcoholic beverages. The older population is projected to almost double by 2050. Substantially more drinkers are likely. PURPOSE:To describe gender-specific trends (1997 to 2014) in prevalence of drinking status (lifetime abstention, former drinking, current drinking [including average volume], and binge drinking) among U.S. adults ages 60+ by age group and birth cohort. METHODS:In the 1997 to 2014 National Health Interview Surveys, 65,303 respondents ages 60+ (31,803 men, 33,500 women) were current drinkers; 6,570 men and 1,737 women were binge drinkers. Prevalence estimates and standard errors were computed by age group (60+, 60 to 64, 65 to 69, 70 to 74, 75 to 79, 80+) and birth cohort (<1925, 1925 to 1935, 1936 to 1945, 1946 to 1954). Trends were examined using joinpoint regression and described as average annual percent change (AAPC; overall change 1997 to 2014) and annual percent change (APC; in-between infection points). Primary analyses were unadjusted. All analyses (unadjusted and adjusted for demographics/lifestyle) were weighted to produce nationally representative estimates. Statistical procedures accounted for the complex survey design. RESULTS:Among men ages 60+, unadjusted prevalence of current drinking trended upward, on average, 0.7% per year (AAPC, p = 0.02); average volume and prevalence of binge drinking remained stable. Adjusted results were similar. Among women age 60+, unadjusted prevalence of current drinking trended upward, on average, 1.6% per year (AAPC, p < 0.0001), but average volume remained stable; prevalence of binge drinking increased, on average, 3.7% per year (AAPC, p < 0.0001). Adjusted results were similar. Trends varied by age group and birth cohort. Among men born 1946 to 1954, unadjusted prevalence of current drinking trended upward, on average, 2.4% per year (AAPC, p = 0.02); adjusted results were nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS:Our finding of upward trends in drinking among adults ages 60+, particularly women, suggests the importance of public health planning to meet future needs for alcohol-related programs.
| S-EPMC5439499 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMedical Aid beneficiaries in Korea are more likely to have poor health status and to receive insufficient healthcare services, but their life expectancy has not been compared with that of National Health Insurance beneficiaries.MethodsWe used the National Health Information Database in Korea to obtain aggregate data on the numbers of population and deaths according to calendar year (2004 to 2017), sex, age group, and insurance eligibility (Medical Aid or National Health Insurance). Between 2004 and 2017, a summed total of 697,503,634 subjects (combining numbers of subjects for 14 years) and 3,536,778 deaths, including 22,417,216 Medical Aid beneficiaries and 499,604 associated deaths, were used to construct annual abridged life tables.ResultsIn 2017, the life expectancy of Medical Aid beneficiaries was 70.9 years, while that of National Health Insurance beneficiaries was 83.7 years. Between 2004 and 2017, life expectancy for Medical Aid beneficiaries increased by 8.7 years in men and 6.1 years in women, while life expectancy for National Health Insurance beneficiaries increased by 5.2 years in men and 4.5 years in women. The life expectancy difference between National Health Insurance beneficiaries and Medical Aid beneficiaries was especially great among men across all study periods. The life expectancy difference was 15.8 years for men and 8.9 years for women in 2017.ConclusionsThe life expectancy of Medical Aid beneficiaries was shorter than that of National Health Insurance beneficiaries. The government should implement policies to deliver more adequate health care to Medical Aid beneficiaries.
| S-EPMC6701124 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Since the passage of United States (US)' Social Security Amendments in 1983, the age for full Social Security benefits has been increasing from age 65 to 67 depending on one's year of birth. These increases introduce incremental savings in the long-term funding of the US public pension system, but they assume that American workers will be able to continue working past the age of 65. In this study, we examine self-reported work disability for men and women using the 1997 through 2007 National Health Interview Surveys. There are small but significant decreases in work disability and fairly significant increases in labor force activity among men and women in their 60s and for women in their 50s over the 11-year period, and relatively little difference between men's and women's trends. Changes in the educational composition of the population play a major explanatory role in the decrease of work disability. Without this compositional shift, work disability would have increased. Increased obesity over this period exerted an opposite effect; without this change, the decrease in work disability would have been greater.
| S-EPMC3622265 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundData on trends for disability in instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) are sparse in older Chinese adults.ObjectivesTo assess trends in prevalence and incidence of IADL disability among older Chinese adults and to explore contributing factors.DesignPopulation based study.Setting15 provinces and municipalities in China.SubjectsParticipants (age ≥60) were from four waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey, conducted in 1997 (n=1533), 2000 (n=1581), 2004 (n=2028) and 2006 (n=2256), and from two cohorts constructed within the national survey: cohort 1997-2004 (n=712) and cohort 2000-2006 (n=823).MeasurementsIADL disability was defined as inability to perform one or more of the following: shopping, cooking, using transportation, financing and telephoning. Data were analysed with logistic regression and generalised estimating equation models.ResultsThe prevalence of IADL disability significantly decreased from 1997 to 2006 in the total sample and in all of the subgroups by age, sex, living region and IADL items (all ptrend <0.05). The incidence of IADL disability remained stable from cohort 1997-2004 to cohort 2000-2006 in the total sample and in all of the subgroups (all p>0.10). The recovery rate from IADL disability significantly increased over time in those aged 60-69 years (p=0.03). Living in a rural area or access to local clinics for healthcare was less disabling over time (ptrend <0.02).ConclusionsThe prevalence of IADL disability decreased among older Chinese adults during 1997-2006, whereas the incidence remained stable. The declining prevalence of IADL disability might be partly due to the decreased duration of IADL disability, and to improvements in living conditions and healthcare facilities over time.
| S-EPMC5724119 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Soil metagenome from healthy and unhealthy agricultural soil
| PRJEB22376 | ENA
Project description:AimTo collect, organize and appraise evidence of socioeconomic and demographic inequalities in health and mortality among the older population using a summary measure of population health: Health Expectancy.MethodsA systematic literature review was conducted. Literature published in English before November 2014 was searched via two possible sources: three electronic databases (Web of Science, Medline and Embase), and references in selected articles. The search was developed combining terms referring to outcome, exposure and participants, consisting in health expectancy, socioeconomic and demographic groups, and older population, respectively.ResultsOf 256 references identified, 90 met the inclusion criteria. Six references were added after searching reference lists of included articles. Thirty-three studies were focused only on gender-based inequalities; the remaining sixty-three considered gender along with other exposures. Findings were organized according to two leading perspectives: the type of inequalities considered and the health indicators chosen to measure health expectancy. Evidence of gender-based differentials and a socioeconomic gradient were found in all studies. A remarkable heterogeneity in the choice of health indicators used to compute health expectancy emerged as well as a non-uniform way of defining same health conditions.ConclusionsHealth expectancy is a useful and convenient measure to monitor and assess the quality of ageing and compare different groups and populations. This review showed a general agreement of results obtained in different studies with regard to the existence of inequalities associated with several factors, such as gender, education, behaviors, and race. However, the lack of a standardized definition of health expectancy limits its comparability across studies. The need of conceiving health expectancy as a comparable and repeatable measure was highlighted as fundamental to make it an informative instrument for policy makers.
| S-EPMC4482630 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionThis study (1) provides annual population estimates of fatal and nonfatal injury incidence rates for older adults for 2004-2017; (2) determines if trends differ by whether the injury was fatal or nonfatal, a fall or nonfall injury, and for nonfatal injuries, minor or serious; and (3) investigates whether trends vary by age, sex, and race.MethodsThis study used National Vital Statistics System and National Health Interview Survey data covering the population of adults aged ≥65 years for 2004-2017. Fatal injury incidence rates were estimated using negative binomial models; nonfatal injury incidence rates were estimated using Poisson models. All models compared overall risk and trend differences by year, age, sex, and race, and interactions between year and age, sex, and race. All analyses were conducted in 2019.ResultsFatal injury incidence was stable over time, but this apparent stability masked a 35% increase in fatal falls and a 17% decrease in fatal nonfall injuries. Increases in fall-related deaths were concentrated among those aged ≥85 years, men, and white older adults. The trend in fatal falls accelerated over time for those aged ≥85 years and white older adults. By contrast, there was a large increase in nonfatal injury incidence, occurring across all injury types. Nonfatal injury risk grew with age and was higher for women and white older adults, but trends did not vary by age, sex, or race.ConclusionsLarge increases in fatal and nonfatal injuries underscore the urgency of national implementation of fall prevention programs and expanding fall prevention efforts to more general injury prevention.
| S-EPMC7311304 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionThe use of psychotropics, such as benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BzRAs), among working-age adults in Belgium has shown educational differences. However, it is unclear how work status plays a role in this relationship. Therefore, this research aims to investigate whether work status explains observed educational differences in BzRA use. In addition, considering medicalisation processes, where non-medical factors, such as work status, are increasingly associated with medical mental health care-seeking behavior, this research also aims to investigate whether work status explains observed educational differences in BzRA use, regardless of mental health status.MethodsData are obtained from the Belgian Health Interview Survey (BHIS). Four successive waves are covered: 2004, 2008, 2013, and 2018. The weighted data represent a sample of 18,547 Belgian respondents aged 18 to 65 years old. Poisson regression models are used to analyze the research aims. Time evolutions are plotted using marginal means postestimation.ResultsThe average use of BzRAs shows a slight decline over the waves studied (2004 = 5.99, 2008 = 5.88, 2013 = 5.33, 2018 = 4.31). Educational and work status differences in BzRA use are observed, regardless of mental health status. Individuals with longer education report lower use compared to individuals with shorter education, and individuals who are unemployed, (pre-)retired, or sick or disabled report higher use compared to employed individuals. Furthermore, work status acts as a mediator, partially explaining educational differences in BzRA use, regardless of mental health status.DiscussionWork-related uncertainty leads to increased prescribing and medication use, regardless of mental health. Medicalisation and pharmaceuticalisation processes detach social problems from their social roots and treat them as personal failures. The marginalization of the social roots of unemployment, sick leave and involuntary (pre-)retirement has led to a personalization of responsibility. Negative feelings arising from such work statuses may cause isolated, non-specific symptoms for which medical treatment is sought.
| S-EPMC10311493 | biostudies-literature