Dependence- and Disability-Free Life Expectancy Across Eight Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A 10/66 Study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate healthy life expectancies in eight low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), using two indicators: disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) and dependence-free life expectancy (DepFLE). Method: Using the Sullivan method, healthy life expectancy was calculated based on the prevalence of dependence and disability from the 10/66 cohort study, which included 16,990 people aged 65 or above in China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela, and country-specific life tables from the World Population Prospects 2017. Results: DFLE and DepFLE declined with older age across all sites and were higher in women than men. Mexico reported the highest DFLE at age 65 for men (15.4, SE = 0.5) and women (16.5, SE = 0.4), whereas India had the lowest with (11.5, SE = 0.3) in men and women (11.7, SE = 0.4). Discussion: Healthy life expectancy based on disability and dependency can be a critical indicator for aging research and policy planning in LMICs.

The association between, depression, anxiety, and mortality in older people across eight low- and middle-income countries: Results from the 10/66 cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Depression and anxiety are common mental disorders in later life. Few population-based studies have investigated their potential impacts on mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this study is to examine the associations between depression, anxiety, their comorbidity, and mortality in later life using a population-based cohort study across eight LMICs. METHODS: This analysis was based on the 10/66 cohort study including 15 991 people aged 65 years or above in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, China, and India, with an average follow-up time of 3.9 years. Subthreshold and clinical levels of depression were determined using EURO-D and ICD-10 criteria, and anxiety was based on Geriatric Mental State (GMS)-Automated Geriatric Examination for Computer Assisted Taxonomy (AGECAT). Cox proportional hazard modelling was used to estimate how having depression, anxiety, or both was associated with mortality adjusting for sociodemographic and health factors. RESULTS: Participants with clinical depression (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.45; 95% CI, 1.24-1.70) and subthreshold anxiety (HR: 1.26; 95% CI, 1.15-1.38) had higher risk of mortality than those without the conditions after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and health conditions. Comorbidity of depression and anxiety was associated with a 30% increased risk of mortality but the effect sizes varied across countries (Higgins I2  = 58.8%), with the strongest association in India (HR: 1.99; 95% CI, 1.21-3.27). CONCLUSIONS: Depression and anxiety appear to be associated with mortality in older people living in LMICs. Variation in effect sizes may indicate different barriers to health service access across countries. Future studies may investigate underlying mechanisms and identify potential interventions to reduce the impact of common mental disorders.

Depression and Incidence of Frailty in Older People From Six Latin American Countries.

OBJECTIVE: Frailty and depression are highly comorbid conditions, but the casual direction is unclear and has not been explored in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential impact of depression on incident frailty in older people living in Latin America. METHODS: This study was based on a population-based cohort of 12,844 people aged 65 or older from six Latin American countries (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Peru), part of the 10/66 cohort study. Two types of frailty measures were used: a modified Fried frailty phenotype and a multidimensional frailty criterion, which included measures from cognition, sensory, nutrition, and physical dimensions. Depression was assessed using EURO-D and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision criteria. A competing risk model was used to examine the associations between baseline depression and incidence of frailty in the 3-5 years of follow-up, accounting for sociodemographic and health factors and the competing event of frailty-free death. RESULTS: Depression was associated with a 59% increased hazard of developing frailty using the modified Fried phenotype (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR]: 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40, 1.80) and 19% for multidimensional frailty (SHR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.33) after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, physical impairments, and dementia. The associations between depression and the multidimensional frailty criteria were homogenous across all the sites (Higgins I2 = 0%). CONCLUSION: Depression may play a key role in the development of frailty. Pathways addressing the association between physical and mental health in older people need to be further investigated in future research.

Associations of smoking and alcohol consumption with healthy ageing: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.

OBJECTIVES: The number of older people is growing across the world; however, quantitative synthesis of studies examining the impact of lifestyle factors on the ageing process is rare. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies to synthesise the associations of smoking and alcohol consumption with healthy ageing (HA). METHODS: Major electronic databases were searched from inception to March 2017 (prospectively registered systematic reviews registration number CRD42016038130). Studies were assessed for methodological quality. Random-effect meta-analysis was performed to calculate pooled ORs and 95% CI. RESULTS: In total, we identified 28 studies (n=184 543); 27 studies reported results on smoking, 22 on alcohol consumption. 23 studies reported a significant positive association of never or former smoking with HA and 4 non-significant. 12 studies reported a significant positive association of alcohol consumption with HA, 9 no association and 1 negative. Meta-analysis revealed increased pooled OR of HA for never smokers compared with current smokers (2.36, 95% CI 2.03 to 2.75), never smokers compared with former smokers (1.32, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.41), former or never smokers compared with current smokers (1.72, 95% CI 1.20 to 2.47), never smokers compared with past or current smokers (1.29, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.43); drinkers compared with non-drinkers (1.28, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.52), light drinkers compared with non-drinkers (1.12, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.22), moderate drinkers compared with non-drinkers (1.35, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.97) and high drinkers compared with non-drinkers (1.25, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.44). There was considerable heterogeneity in the definition and measurement of HA and alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: There is consistent evidence from longitudinal studies that smoking is negatively associated with HA. The associations of alcohol consumption with HA are equivocal. Future research should focus on the implementation of a single metric of HA, on the use of consistent drinking assessment among studies and on a full-range of confounding adjustment. Our research also highlighted the limited research on ageing in low-and-middle-income countries.