The general health questionnaire (GHQ) as a predictor of hospital care and mortality in the non-institutionalized elderly

Diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance and mortality among elderly men: the Finnish cohorts of the Seven Countries Study

We studied the association of glucose intolerance with total and cause-specific mortality during a 5-year follow-up of 637 elderly Finnish men aged 65 to 84 years. Total mortality was 276 per 1000 for men aged 65 to 74 years and 537 per 1000 for men aged 75 to 84 years. Five-year total mortality adjusted for age was 364 per 1000 in diabetic men, 234 per 1000 in men with impaired glucose tolerance and 209 per 1000 in men with normal glucose tolerance. The relative risk of death among diabetic men was 2.10 (95% confidence interval 1.26 to 3.49) and among men with impaired glucose tolerance 1.17 (95% confidence interval 0.71 to 1.94) times higher compared with men with normal glucose tolerance. Cardiovascular disease was the most common cause of death in every glucose tolerance group. The multivariate adjusted relative risk of cardiovascular death was increased (1.55) in diabetic patients, albeit non-significantly (95% confidence interval 0.84 to 2.85). Diabetes resulted in an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality among men aged 65-74 years but not among the 75- 84-year-old men. Relative risk of death from non-cardiovascular causes was slightly increased among diabetic subjects. In conclusion, diabetes mellitus is a significant determinant of mortality among elderly Finnish men.

Functional capacity in two elderly populations aged 75 or over: comparisons at 10 years' interval

The functional capacity of two different non-institutionalized elderly populations and the resources available were compared in the same geographical area at 10 years' interval. The study shows that a 1.5-fold increase in the non-institutionalized population aged 75 or over combined with a fixed number of institutional beds in 10 years resulted in more disability among the elderly at home. The nursing home population at the latter point of time was older and showed a higher mortality, indicating increased pressure and selection to the nursing home. The first study comprised 82.8% and the second 89.2% of all community-living persons aged 75 or over. In 1988, the functional status of the aged living at home was significantly lower than in 1978, in 8 out of 12 functional activities of daily living (ADL). The Basic ADL Index decreased significantly both in men and in women, and mobility also deteriorated. The Instrumental ADL Index decreased significantly in men, while the Index was equally poor in women in both interviews. The poor functional status of the elderly in 1988 was accompanied by moving to the town centre and considerably improved housing standards. Home care services had more than doubled, and home nursing visits had also increased.