Duration of Dementia and Social Service Use in the U.S.-Born and Foreign-Born Mexican-American Population.

OBJECTIVE: The study estimates the number of years after age 65 that Mexican Americans live with likely dementia and the impact of dementia on community-based services (CBS) use by nativity. METHODS: Using the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly Sullivan methods are employed to predict duration of dementia and logistic regressions identify the predictors of service utilization. RESULTS: Foreign-born women spend more years than other groups with dementia. The foreign-born are more likely to use out-of-home services, whereas U.S.-born are more likely to use in-home services. The foreign-born with dementia of relatively recent onset had the highest probability of service use. DISCUSSION: Given the high cost of institutional care and availability of family caregivers, community-based services are a potentially useful alternative for the growing Mexican-American population living with dementia. Expanded Medicaid and CBS programs could be an equitable and cost-effective alternative that should be investigated.

Diferenciais de gênero na expectativa de vida saudável entre idosos: estimativas para Bahia e região Nordeste / Differentials of gender in the healthy life expectancy among older adults: estimations for Bahia and Northeast region / Diferenciales de género en la esperanza de vida saludable entre adultos mayores: estimaciones para Bahía y región Nordeste de Brasil

Uma das ferramentas para avaliar as condições de saúde da população é a expectativa de vida saudável. O objetivo deste estudo foi estimar a expectativa de vida saudável em idosos e adultos mais velhos da Bahia e grande região Nordeste. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, no qual foram empregados dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde de 2019. Como proxy de saúde, utilizaram-se as prevalências de autopercepção do estado de saúde, desagregadas por sexo, para o estado da Bahia e região Nordeste, além de tábuas de mortalidade completas para o mesmo ano e localidades, desagregadas por sexo. Para a construção dos indicadores de expectativa de vida saudável foi utilizado o método de Sullivan. As estimativas de expectativa de vida saudável mostraram que, quanto mais velhos, menos se vive em termos absolutos e proporcionalmente com boa saúde, uma relação direta com a idade. As mulheres tendem a viver mais e com menos saúde, no entanto, as estimativas não foram estatisticamente significativas na perspectiva de gênero. Propiciar melhor saúde e vida para indivíduos idosos deve ser um dos principais objetivos das ações governamentais deste século, haja vista o acelerado processo de envelhecimento da população e o aumento da longevidade, tendo em mente uma perspectiva de ação durante todo o curso de vida, não se limitando às fases mais avançadas da vida.

One of the tools used to assess what is observed in terms of the population's health conditions is healthy life expectancy. The aim of this study was to estimate the healthy life expectancy in older and elderly adults in Bahia and the Greater Northeast Region. This is a cross-sectional study, in which data from the 2019 National Health Survey were used. As a health proxy, the prevalence of self-perception of health status, disaggregated by sex, for the state of Bahia and the Northeast region, and complete tables of mortality for the same year and locations, disaggregated by sex. For the construction of healthy life expectancy indicators, the Sullivan method was used. Estimates of healthy life expectancy showed that, the older you are, the less you live in absolute terms and proportionately in good health, a direct relationship with age. Women tend to live longer and in poorer health, however, the estimates were not statistically significant from a gender perspective. Providing better health and life for elderly individuals should be one of the main objectives of governmental actions in this century, given the accelerated process of population aging and increased longevity, bearing in mind a perspective of action throughout the life course, not limited to the more advanced stages of life.

Una de las herramientas utilizadas para evaluar las condiciones de salud de la población es la esperanza de vida saludable. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar la esperanza de vida saludable en adultos mayores y ancianos en Bahía y la región del gran Nordeste (Brasil). Se trata de un estudio transversal en el que se utilizaron datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud de 2019. Como proxy de salud, se utilizaron la prevalencia de autopercepción del estado de salud, desagregada por sexo, para el estado de Bahía y la región Nordeste, y tablas de mortalidad para el mismo año y localidades, desagregada por sexo. Para la construcción de indicadores de esperanza de vida saludable se aplicó el método de Sullivan. Las estimaciones de esperanza de vida saludable mostraron que cuanto mayor es la edad, menos se vive en términos absolutos y proporcionalmente con buena salud, una relación directa con la edad. Las mujeres tienden a vivir más y con peor salud, sin embargo, las estimaciones no fueron estadísticamente significativas desde una perspectiva de género. Brindar una mejor salud y vida a las personas adultas mayores debe ser uno de los principales objetivos de las acciones gubernamentales en este siglo, dado el acelerado proceso de envejecimiento poblacional y el aumento de la longevidad, teniendo en cuenta una perspectiva de acción a lo largo del curso de la vida, no limitada a las etapas más avanzadas.

A New Approach for Evaluation of Cardiovascular Fitness and Cardiac Responses to Maximal Exercise Test in Master Runners: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim of this study was to analyze the cardiac autonomic function at rest, at maximum exercise, and in recovery after exercise and to determine sex-specific and age-specific values for resting heart rate (RHR), hear rate (HR)-peak, HR recovery (HRR), and HR variability at rest in master runners. Fifty endurance runners (21 women) participated in this study (43.28 ± 5.25 years). The subjects came from different athletic clubs in Andalusia (Spain), and the testing protocol was performed in-season. A 3-km running test was performed and the cardiovascular response was monitored. Regarding sex, no significant differences were found regarding cardiovascular autonomic function at rest, during exercise, and following maximal exercise, only at rest, the standard deviation of all R-R intervals and low frequency values displayed significantly (p < 0.05) lower scores in women. 46% of athletes showed an RHR < 60 bpm. Additionally, HR-peak showed a significant correlation with age (r = −0.369; p = 0.009) and HRR5min (r = 0.476, p = 0.001). Also, endurance performance was inversely associated with obesity traits and cardiometabolic risk factors. In summary, age, sex, fitness, or anthropometrics characteristics did not show a relevant influence on cardiovascular autonomic modulation in master runners. However, the 3-km performance displayed a significant negative association with several factors of cardiometabolic risk.

The association between objectively measured physical activity and health-related quality of life, life-space mobility and successful ageing in older Indian adults.

BACKGROUND: Longevity is increasing, accompanied by a rise in disability and chronic diseases with physical activity (PA) delaying disability, ensuring successful ageing (SA) and independent living in older adults. AIM: This study aimed to determine objectively measure PA levels, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), life-space mobility and SA of older adults as well as their mutual associations. SETTING: KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. METHODS: A total of 210 older adults aged 65-92 years were purposively sampled and completed the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, the Life-Space Mobility, and Successful Ageing questionnaires. Physical activity levels were measured using an Omron Pedometer, which the participants wore for seven consecutive days. RESULTS: The average number of steps taken per day for the 7 days was 2025, with 98.6% of the entire study population classified as sedentary. The Vitality domain (one of 8 categorised) reflected the best health status (M = 59.9, s.d. ± 18.8) with a significant 93% of the participants indicating that they had not visited places outside their immediate neighbourhood (p < 0.0005). A significant, negative association between the average number of steps taken in 7 days and all three SA variables, namely, the physical (r = -0.152, p = 0.027), sociological (r = -0.148, p = 0.032) and psychological (r = -0.176, p = 0.010), and a significant, positive association with life-space mobility (r = 0.224, p = 0.001) was noted. CONCLUSION: The majority of the older adults were sedentary, affecting their HRQoL, life-space mobility, and SA negatively. CONTRIBUTION: It is imperative to develop effective physical activity programmes to ensure successful ageing by improving older adults' quality of life and physical activity levels.

Well beyond the 60s? The impact of a pandemic on the growth of the older population / Muito além dos 60? Impacto de uma pandemia na dinâmica de crescimento da população idosa

Contrary to expectations that the first decades of the 21st century would experience an increase in lived time, the 2020s cast doubts on the future of old age. The Brazilian population is expected to increase until 2030, when it will reach its maximum, with a total of approximately 215 million inhabitants. A trend of population decline was already in progress and had already been documented, but the pandemic accelerated this process. This study describes a set of projections for the older Brazilian population. The projections were elaborated using the main components method, whose advantages are the possibility of separately projecting the behavior of the three demographic variables (fertility, mortality, and migrations) and obtaining results disaggregated by sex and age groups. Birth data for 2018, 2019, and 2020 suggest a 3.51 and 5.28% decrease in total births between 2018 and 2019 and 2019 and 2020, respectively. Preliminary data for 2021, which indicate the continuation of this trend between 2020­2021, show a 2.32% reduction in the number of births. The hypotheses raised for the mortality patterns, if proven to be accurate, suggest a life expectancy of 72.8 years for men and 76.2 years for women at the final period of the projection, resulting in gains of 4.6 and 2.0 years, respectively. Despite these gains, the levels obtained in 2019, pre-pandemic, would be reached by the male population only between 2035 and 2040.

Contrariando expectativas de que as primeiras décadas do século XXI seriam um tempo de expansão do tempo vivido, os anos 2020 apontam dúvidas com relação ao futuro da velhice. A população brasileira deverá crescer até 2030, quando se projeta que atingirá o seu máximo, com um total de aproximadamente 215 milhões de habitantes. Uma tendência de redução populacional já era documentada e estava em curso, mas a pandemia acelerou o seu movimento. Este artigo apresenta um conjunto de projeções para a população brasileira e idosa. Para a sua elaboração, utilizamos o método das componentes, cujas vantagens são: (a) projetar, isoladamente, o comportamento de cada uma das três variáveis demográficas ­ fecundidade, mortalidade e migrações ­ e (b) obter resultados desagregados por sexo e grupos de idade. Os dados de nascimentos para 2018, 2019 e 2020 apontam para uma diminuição deste total de 3,51% entre 2018 e 2019 e de 5,28% entre 2019 e 2020. Os dados preliminares de 2021, que apontam para uma continuação dessa tendência entre 2020 e 2021 demonstram redução de 2,32% no número de nascimentos. As hipóteses feitas para os padrões de mortalidade, se verificadas, apontam para uma expectativa de vida de 72,8 e 76,2 anos no final do período da projeção, o que resultaria em ganhos de 4,6 e 2,0 anos, para homens e mulheres, respectivamente. Apesar desses ganhos, os níveis obtidos em 2019, pré-pandemia, seriam alcançados pelos homens entre 2035 e 2040.

Expectativa de vida com e sem hipertensão arterial e diabetes em adultos brasileiros mais velhos / Life expectancy of brazilian older adults with and without hypertension and diabetes / Esperanza de vida con y sin hipertensión arterial y diabetes en adultos mayores brasileños

Das doenças crônicas mais prevalentes em indivíduos com mais de 50 anos destacam-se a hipertensão arterial e a diabetes. Além da prevalência dessas patologias, é fundamental a compreensão da proporção do tempo vivido com essas enfermidades. Diante disso, o objetivo deste estudo é estimar a expectativa de vida de homens e mulheres com e sem hipertensão arterial e diabetes nas idades de 50, 60 e 80 anos, na região Nordeste e nas demais regiões do Brasil. No que tange aos resultados sobre hipertensão arterial, para o Brasil, observou-se que aos 50 anos os homens esperavam viver 27,8 anos restantes em 2015, dos quais 53,8% seriam com hipertensão arterial. Para a mesma idade, as mulheres esperavam viver 32,3 anos, dos quais em torno de 63,5% seriam com essa patologia. Na região Nordeste do país, os homens esperavam viver em média mais 26,4 anos, dos quais 52,3% com hipertensão arterial. Os resultados para as mulheres de mesma idade foram 31 anos restantes, sendo 62% com essa enfermidade. Com relação às estimativas de diabetes para o Brasil, os homens com 50 anos ou mais esperavam viver seis anos com essa doença, ou seja, 21,7% do tempo de vida restante. Já as mulheres na mesma idade esperavam viver 8,6 anos, em torno de 26,7% com diabetes. As ações de saúde pública devem tanto propiciar boas condições de saúde e de vida para as pessoas enfermas quanto objetivar a redução da incidência dessas e de outras enfermidades crônicas, prevenindo o adoecimento e promovendo, portanto, medidas que possam ser efetivamente integrais.

Hypertension and diabetes are among the most prevalent chronic diseases in individuals over 50 years of age. Besides their prevalence, one must understand the time lived with these diseases. Given this scenario, this research seeks to estimate life expectancy of individuals with and without hypertension and diabetes at ages 50, 60 and 80 years in Brazil, and in particular the Northeast region. Regarding arterial hypertension, results for Brazil showed that at age 50 men expected to live 27.8 remaining years in 2015, of which 53.8% would be with hypertension. Women of the same age expected to live 32.3 years, of which 63.5% would be with this pathology. In the Northeast, men expected to live an average of 26.4 years, of which 52.3% with hypertension. Results for women of the same age showed 31 remaining years, 62% with the disease. As for diabetes in Brazil, results showed that men aged 50 years or more expected to live 6 years with this disease, that is, 21.7% of the remaining life expectancy. Conversely, women of the same age expected to live 8.6 years, of which 26.7% with diabetes. Public health actions should both provide good health and living conditions for the ill, as well as reduce the incidence of these and other chronic diseases, preventing illness and promoting actual comprehensive measures.

Entre las enfermedades crónicas más prevalentes en las personas mayores de los 50 años de edad destacan la hipertensión arterial y la diabetes. En la prevalencia de estas patologías, es fundamental conocer la proporción de tiempo que se vive con estas enfermedades. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio es estimar la esperanza de vida con y sin hipertensión arterial y diabetes en las edades de 50, 60 y 80 años, para hombres y mujeres, en la región Nordeste y demás regiones de Brasil. En cuanto a los resultados sobre hipertensión arterial, en Brasil se observó que a los 50 años de edad los hombres esperaban vivir 27,8 años restantes en 2015, de los cuales un 53,8% tendrían hipertensión arterial. Para la misma edad, las mujeres esperaban vivir 32,3 años, de los cuales alrededor del 63,5% serían con esta patología. En la región Nordeste, los hombres esperaban vivir un promedio de 26,4 años, de los cuales un 52,3% tendrían hipertensión arterial. Los resultados para mujeres de la misma edad fueron 31 años restantes, de los cuales el 62% estarían con esta enfermedad. En relación con las estimaciones de diabetes para Brasil, los hombres de 50 años o más esperaban vivir 6 años con esta enfermedad, es decir, el 21,7% del tiempo de vida restante. Las mujeres de la misma edad, en cambio, esperaban vivir 8,6 años, alrededor del 26,7% con diabetes. Las acciones de salud pública deben brindar buenas condiciones de salud y de vida a las personas enfermas, así como reducir la incidencia de esas y otras enfermedades crónicas, previniéndolas y promoviendo, por lo tanto, medidas que puedan ser efectivamente integrales.

Combined Neuroprotective Strategies Blocked Neurodegeneration and Improved Brain Function in Senescence-Accelerated Mice.

Increase in the quality of life, combined with drug strategies, has been studied as possibilities for improving memory and delaying the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. A previous study published by the group of the authors has shown that microdose lithium and enriched environment can improve memory in both mice and humans. To elucidate this relationship better, this study aimed to evaluate whether the chronic combination of these two strategies could increase healthy aging in Senescence Accelerated Mouse-Prone 8 (SAMP8). Animals were submitted to either one or both of these strategies until the age of 10 months when they were anesthetized and killed and their hippocampus was extracted. The untreated SAMP-8 group exhibited worse memory and reduced neuronal density with greater neurodegeneration and increased amyloid-ß plaque density compared with the control group. Moreover, significant alterations in proteins related to long-term potentiation, such as, synaptophysin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), were observed in this group. The strategies used in the study maintained long-term memory, reduced anxiety, and increased neuroprotection. Both strategies were efficient in reducing neurodegeneration and increasing parameters related to memory maintenance. In many experiments, the combination of the two strategies was more effective in improving healthy aging. This study sheds light on the combination of strategies that choose to improve the quality of life and drugs with low side effects. Moreover, it opens perspectives for a new field of study for healthy aging.

Disability in Childhood, Special Education Histories, and Lifetime Health Outcomes in the United States.

Objectives: We evaluated special education as an indicator of childhood disability and used that indicator to estimate lifetime dependency and life expectancy. Methods: Data: Panel Study of Income Dynamics and Health and Retirement Study (n = 20,563). Dependency: Nursing home care or equivalent. Analysis: We first analyzed special education as an indicator of childhood disability; multinomial logistic Markov models and microsimulation then compared populations with and without childhood disability. Results: Special education history was a valid indicator of childhood disability. For example, with parents who did not complete high school, 3.8% with no special education history were dependent at least 5 years of adult life; that result with special education was 15.2%. Life expectancy from age 20 was 58.3 years without special education, 46.0 years with special education (both p < .05). Discussion: Special education history can indicate childhood disability. People with that history had significantly a more dependency than others and significantly shorter lives.

[Health, sex and sexual behaviour: sexually active life expectancy]. / Salud, sexo y comportamiento sexual: la esperanza de vida sexual activa.

OBJECTIVE: To measure sexually active life expectancy (SALE) estimating the average age at which sexually active life finishes, paying special attention to the older population. Variations in SALE according to self-rated health are examined. METHOD: Descriptive analysis with cross-sectional data. SALE was calculated for the population by age group (30 to 80 years old) and sex using the Sullivan Method, with data from the Human Mortality Database and the National Survey of Sexual Health (Spain). The analysis distinguishes between individuals that have had coital sex in the last year and those who have not. RESULTS: Coital activity continues in those aged from 55-59 years old, the SALE is 13.3 years in males and 8 in females. Coital activity is related to health and sexual health, diverging depending on sex and age group. The males showed a more extended sexually active trajectory than the females, but were also more influenced by good general health (adding 2.6 and 1 years respectively) and good sexual health (5.2 and 4.3 years). SALE also varies when poor health (subtracting 2.7 years and adding 2 years) and poor sexual health (subtracting 2.9 and 1.3 years) are considered. CONCLUSIONS: the results reveal that sexual health programmes must be extended to the older ages, given that it is confirmed that sexual activity continues in old age.

Age and cohort trajectories of gender inequality in health among elderly people in China.

Using a multistate model, this article examines gender gap and its trend in health transition, life expectancy (LE), and active life expectancy (ALE) in different age groups and birth cohorts. The transition rate from life independence/disability to death for elderly women is lower than for elderly men. However, their disability rate is higher. The gender gap in LE, ALE, and DLE (disabled life expectancy) declines as age increases. In successive birth cohorts, men's LE increases more, and gender gaps in LE and ALE decrease over time. In the future, gender issues should be considered for health-care policy to provide nursing care for elderly women in China.

The Role of Underweight in Active Life Expectancy Among Older Adults in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: It is underweight, rather than overweight or obesity, that has been a pressing public health concern in Japan. This study examines the impact of being underweight on the health of older Japanese men and women, measured by active life expectancy at age 65. Following the Japanese government's guideline, underweight in this study is defined using the body mass index (BMI) value of 20. METHOD: Data came from five waves (1999-2009) of the Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging (NUJLSOA). We used the Interpolation of Markov Chain approach to estimate the number of years underweight (BMI < 20), normal weight (20 < BMI < 25), and overweight (25 < BMI) individuals were expected to live without difficulty in activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental ADLs. RESULTS: We found differences in life and health expectancies across the three weight categories. Underweight people were expected to live the shortest lives and spend the fewest years in an active state compared with normal and overweight individuals. Results remained unchanged even when accounting for educational attainment, smoking history, and a count of existing chronic conditions. DISCUSSION: Being underweight is associated with poor quality of life lived among Japanese older adults. This finding suggests the importance of maintaining proper weight and avoids nutritional risks at advanced ages.

An Age Old Problem? Estimating the Impact of Dementia on Past Human Populations.

OBJECTIVE: To model the impact of dementia on past societies. METHOD: We consider multiple lines of evidence indicating elderly individuals to have been more common throughout the past than is frequently accepted. We then apply known dementia incidence/prevalence rates to plausible assumptions of past population structures to suggest prevalence in the past. RESULTS: Dementia prevalence in premodern societies is likely to have been around 5% of the rate seen in modern, developed countries but with a total past incidence running into billions. DISCUSSION: Dementia is often seen as a "modern" challenge that humans have not had to contend with before. We argue that this condition has had considerably greater effects than previously envisaged and is a challenge that humans have already withstood successfully, on one hand at a lower incidence but on the other without the considerable clinical, technological, and social advances that have been made in recent times.

Moxie matters: associations of future orientation with active life expectancy.

OBJECTIVE: Being oriented toward the future has been associated with better future health. We studied associations of future orientation with life expectancy and the percentage of life with disability. METHOD: We used the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (n = 5249). Participants' average age in 1968 was 33.0. Six questions repeatedly measured future orientation, 1968-1976. Seven waves (1999-2011, 33,331 person-years) measured disability in activities of daily living for the same individuals, whose average age in 1999 was 64.0. We estimated monthly probabilities of disability and death with multinomial logistic Markov models adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, childhood health, and education. Using the probabilities, we created large populations with microsimulation, measuring disability in each month for each individual, age 55 through death. RESULTS: Life expectancy from age 55 for white men with high future orientation was age 77.6 (95% confidence interval 75.5-79.0), 6.9% (4.9-7.2) of those years with disability; results with low future orientation were 73.6 (72.2-75.4) and 9.6% (7.7-10.7). Comparable results for African American men were 74.8 (72.9-75.3), 8.1 (5.6-9.3), 71.0 (69.6-72.8), and 11.3 (9.1-11.7). For women, there were no significant differences associated with levels of future orientation for life expectancy. For white women with high future orientation 9.1% of remaining life from age 55 was disabled (6.3-9.9), compared to 12.4% (10.2-13.2) with low future orientation. Disability results for African American women were similar but statistically significant only at age 80 and over. CONCLUSION: High future orientation during early to middle adult ages may be associated with better health in older age.

Estudo comparativo da funcionalidade e qualidade de vida entre idosos de diferentes classes econômicas / Comparative study of functionality and quality of life among elderly from different economic classes

Objetivo: Comparar a Capacidade Funcional (CF) e Qualidade de Vida (QV) entre idosos de diferentes classes econômicas. Métodos: A amostra foi constituída por idosos de ambos os sexos, capazes de deambular. A CF foi avaliada através dos testes Timed up and Go (TUG), teste de caminhada de 6 minutos (TC6) e velocidade de marcha (VMH), já a QV por meio do perfil de saúde de Nottingham (PSN) e a classe econômica de acordo com o critério de classificação econômica Brasil e subdivididos de acordo com a classe econômica. Como os dados foram distribuídos de forma não paramétrica, a comparação da CF e QV entre as classes econômicas utilizou o teste Kruskal-Wallis e, para a comparação do TC6 e TUG dos idosos com valores de referência, o teste Wilcoxon. O nível de significância estabelecido foi de 5%. Resultados: Foram avaliados 60 idosos e subdivididos nos grupos: A1(9), A2 (9), B1(9), B2 (10), C (12), e D (11). Não houve diferença na CF e QV entre os idosos de diferentes classes econômicas (p < 0,05). A prática de exercício foi relevante nos grupos A1 e D. Os grupos com maior impacto de morbidade foram A1 e A2 (89% ambos). Foi observado um pior desempenho no TC6' em A2 e D e no TUG em D. Na VMH foram vistos menores valores em A1. Maiores valores na escala PSN foram visualizados no grupo D, revelando uma pior QV. Conclusão: Não houve interferência direta da classe econômica sobre a capacidade funcional e a qualidade de vida dos idosos. (AU)

Objective: To compare the functional capacity (FC) and Quality of Life (QOL) among the elderly in different economic classes. Methods: The sample was composed of elderly of both sexes, able to walk. The CF was assessed by means of tests Timed up and Go (TUG), 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and gait speed (GS), in relation to the QOL we used the Health Profile of Nottingham (HPN) and the economic class according to the criterion of Economic Classification Brazil and subdivided according to the Economic Class. Data were distributed in a nonparametric test, and the comparison of the CF and QOL between economic classes was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and for the comparison of TC6 and TUG of the elderly with reference values was used the Wilcoxon test. The level of significance was set at 5 %. Results: We evaluated 60 elderly and subdivided into two groups: A1 (9), A2 (9), B1 (9), B2 (10), C (12), and D (11). There was no difference in CF and QOL among the elderly people of different economic classes (p<0.05). The practice of exercise was relevant in the groups A1 and D. The groups with higher impact of morbidity were A1 and A2 (89% both). The results showed that the worst performance was in TC6' in A2 and D and the TUG in D. In GS were seen lower values in A1. Higher values in scale HPN were visualized in group D, revealing the poorer QOL. Conclusion: There was no direct interference of economic class on functional capacity and quality of life of the elderly.(AU)

Health status and years of sexually active life among older men and women in South Africa.

Little is known about sexual activity in old age, particularly in Africa. The objective of this paper is to estimate years of sexually active life for older men and women, and examine the association between sexual activity and self-rated health status. Data were extracted from two large cross sectional HIV household surveys conducted in 2005 and 2012 in South Africa. The Sullivan method was used to estimate sexually active life expectancy, whilst logistic regression was used to assess associations with sexual activity. Sexually active life expectancy was higher among men across all the age groups in both surveys. At age 50, the sexually active life expectancy for men was double that for women - 2005 (12.6 vs. 5.9 years), 2012 (12.7 vs. 7.2 years). Self-rated health was significantly associated with sexual activity in men (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 1.56; 95% CI 1.11-2.19; p<0.001). Among older women, moderate exercise was associated with being sexual active, while HIV infection was significantly associated with reduced sexual activity. The presence of chronic conditions was also significantly associated with reduced sexual activity among men. The results confirm that older adults are sexually active, and that factors associated with sexual activity are different for men and women. HIV among women and chronic conditions among men are areas of intervention to improve sexual activity in older people.

Can a Healthy Lifestyle Compress the Disabled Period in Older Adults?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether lifestyle factors, measured late in life, could compress the disabled period toward the end of life. DESIGN: Community-based cohort study of older adults followed from 1989 to 2015. SETTING: Four U.S. communities. PARTICIPANTS: Community-living men and women aged 65 and older (N = 5,248, mean age 72.7 ± 5.5, 57% female, 15.2% minority) who were not wheelchair dependent and were able to give informed consent at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: Multiple lifestyle factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, diet, body mass index (BMI), social networks, and social support, were measured at baseline. Activities of daily living (ADLs) were assessed at baseline and throughout follow-up. Years of life (YoL) was defined as years until death. Years of able life (YAL) was defined as years without any ADL difficulty. YAL/YoL%, the proportion of life lived able, was used to indicate the relative compression or expansion of the disabled period. RESULTS: The average duration of disabled years was 4.5 (out of 15.4 mean YoL) for women and 2.9 (out of 12.4 mean YoL) for men. In a multivariable model, obesity was associated with 7.3 percentage points (95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.4-9.2) lower YAL/YoL% than normal weight. Scores in the lowest quintile of the Alternate Healthy Eating Index were associated with a 3.7% (95% CI = 1.6-5.9) lower YAL/YoL% than scores in the highest quintile. Every 25 blocks walked in a week was associated with 0.5 percentage points (95% CI = 0.3-0.8) higher YAL/YoL%. CONCLUSION: The effects of healthy lifestyle factors on the proportion of future life lived free of disability indicate that the disabled period can be compressed, given the right combination of these factors.

Atenção preventiva e educativa em saúde do idoso: uma proposta de integração de saberes e práticas / Preventive care and education in elderly health: a proposal for the integration of knowledges and practices

O envelhecimento da população brasileira trouxe mudanças em seu perfil epidemiológico, como o aumento da ocorrência de doenças crônicas e incapacidades funcionais, além de maior demanda por serviços de saúde, representando um desafio para a Saúde Coletiva no conhecimento das suas especificidades. Nesse sentido, idosos do Programa de Assistência ao Idoso do SESC Minas, na cidade de Governador Valadares (MG), responderam a um questionário semiestruturado para variáveis socioeconômicas, condições de saúde e hábitos de vida a fim de se traçar um diagnóstico desta população e direcionar ações interdisciplinares educativas e preventivas como incentivo ao envelhecimento ativo. Os dados revelaram as principais doenças: hipertensão arterial (63,8%), osteoartrite (25,5%), cardiopatias (17%) e diabetes (10,6%). A polifarmácia foi identificada em 29,8% dos idosos, incluindo o uso de medicamentos alopáticos, fitoterápicos e plantas medicinais. Doze idosos (25,5%) relataram possuir lesões de pele, 72,3% informaram uso de próteses dentárias e 2,1% próteses ortopédicas. A maioria dos idosos classificou sua alimentação como saudável (85,1%), mas todos relataram algum tipo de perda funcional. Os resultados demonstram que o Programa Assistencial conta com idosos com o perfil de saúde semelhante ao da população idosa brasileira, com ampla ocorrência de doenças crônicas, edentulismo, incapacidades funcionais e elevado consumo de medicamentos. O presente estudo reforça a importância do trabalho interdisciplinar como subsídio para o desenvolvimento de intervenções mais sensíveis e eficazes, considerando a perspectiva do próprio indivíduo e suas necessidades. (AU)

The aging of the Brazilian population brought changes in their epidemiological profile: increased occurrence of chronic illnesses and functional disabilities; increased demand for health services. The knowledge of the characteristics and elements of such changes have represented a challenge to public health researchers. A preliminary attempt to meet such challenge comes from a program of assistance to the elderly in the city of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil, with the support of an independent agency backed by the commercial sector (SESC-Minas). A sample of individuals aged 60 and above responded to a semi-structured questionnaire to socioeconomic variables, health conditions and life styles. The survey was a research instrument for the proposal of preventive action and active ageing. The data revealed the main diseases: arterial hypertension (63.8 percent); osteoarthritis (25.5 percent); heart diseases (17%) and diabetes (10.6 percent). “`Polipharmacy” was identified in 29.8% of seniors, including the use of allopathic drugs, phytotherapy and medicinal plants. 25.5 percent reported skin lesions, 72.3% wore dentures and 2.1% orthopedic prostheses. Most elderly people claimed to follow a healthy diet (85.1%), but all reported some form of functional loss. The results suggest that the Program relies on the participation of seniors with health profile similar to the general population of Brazilian elderly, with wide occurrence of chronic diseases, edentulism and high consumption of medicines. This study reinforces the importance of interdisciplinary work as subsidy for the development of more effective interventions, taking into account the perspectives of the elderly and their needs. (AU)

Atenção preventiva e educativa em saúde do idoso: uma proposta de integração de saberes e práticas / Preventive care and education in elderly health: a proposal for the integration of knowledges and practices

O envelhecimento da população brasileira trouxe mudanças em seu perfil epidemiológico, como o aumento da ocorrência de doenças crônicas e incapacidades funcionais, além de maior demanda por serviços de saúde, representando um desafio para a Saúde Coletiva no conhecimento das suas especificidades. Nesse sentido, idosos do Programa de Assistência ao Idoso do SESC Minas, na cidade de Governador Valadares (MG), responderam a um questionário semi estruturado para variáveis socioeconômicas, condições de saúde e hábitos de vida a fim de se traçar um diagnóstico desta população e direcionar ações interdisciplinares educativas e preventivas como incentivo ao envelhecimento ativo. Os dados revelaram as principais doenças: hipertensão arterial (63,8%), osteoartrite (25,5%), cardiopatias (17%) e diabetes (10,6%). A poli farmácia foi identificada em 29,8% dos idosos, incluindo o uso de medicamentos alopáticos, fitoterápicos e plantas medicinais. Doze idosos (25,5%) relataram possuir lesões de pele, 72,3% informaram uso de próteses dentárias e 2,1% próteses ortopédicas. A maioria dos idosos classificou sua alimentação como saudável (85,1%), mas todos relataram algum tipo de perda funcional. Os resultados demonstram que o Programa Assistencial conta com idosos com o perfil de saúde semelhante ao da população idosa brasileira, com ampla ocorrência de doenças crônicas, edentulismo, incapacidades funcionais e elevado consumo de medicamentos. O presente estudo reforça a importância do trabalho interdisciplinar como subsídio para o desenvolvimento de intervenções mais sensíveis e eficazes, considerando a perspectiva do próprio indivíduo e suas necessidades.

The aging of the Brazilian population brought changes in their epidemiological profile: increased occurrence of chronic illnesses and functional disabilities; increased demand for health services. The knowledge of the characteristics and elements of such changes have represented a challenge to public health researchers. A preliminary attempt to meet such challenge comes from a program of assistance to the elderly in the city of Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil, with the support of an independent agency backed by the commercial sector (SESC-Minas). A sample of individuals aged 60 and above responded to a semi-structured questionnaire to socioeconomic variables, health conditions and life styles. The survey was a research instrument for the proposal of preventive action and active ageing. The data revealed the main diseases: arterial hypertension (63.8 percent); osteoarthritis (25.5 percent); heart diseases (17%) and diabetes (10.6 percent). “`Polipharmacy” was identified in 29.8% of seniors, including the use of allopathic drugs, phytotherapy and medicinal plants. 25.5 percent reported skin lesions, 72.3% wore dentures and 2.1% orthopedic prostheses. Most elderly people claimed to follow a healthy diet (85.1%), but all reported some form of functional loss. The results suggest that the Program relies on the participation of seniors with health profile similar to the general population of Brazilian elderly, with wide occurrence of chronic diseases, edentulism and high consumption of medicines. This study reinforces the importance of interdisciplinary work as subsidy for the development of more effective interventions, taking into account the perspectives of the elderly and their needs.

Health Expectancies in Adults Aged 50 Years or Older in China.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to understand the functional health of older adults in China and to assess the potential for advancing healthy and active aging. METHOD: Data of 13,739 older adults aged 50 years and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011 were analyzed. Life expectancy in good perceived health, chronic-disease-free life expectancy, active life expectancy, and severe impairment-free life expectancy were calculated using Sullivan's method. RESULTS: At age 50 years, older adults had a life expectancy in good perceived health of 7.0 and 6.7 years in men and women, respectively. They would remain chronic-disease-free for 8.4 and 8.6 years, without activity limitation for 23.6 and 26.0 years, and severe impairment-free for 21.4 and 24.2 years. DISCUSSION: The world's largest aging population was spending a substantial proportion of remaining life years in suboptimal health and well-being, while remaining largely independent in basic self-care without severe impairments.

Unemployment, disability and life expectancy in the United States: A life course study.

BACKGROUND: Unemployment may be associated with health through factors including stress, depression, unhealthy behaviors, reduced health care, and loss of social networks. Little is known about associations of total lifetime unemployment with disability and life expectancy. HYPOTHESIS: People with high unemployment (≥the median) will live shorter lives with more disability than those with less unemployment. METHODS: Data were nationally representative of African Americans and non-Hispanic whites, from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (37 waves 1968-2011, n = 7,970, mean work years = 24.7). Seven waves (1999-2011, 58,268 person-years) measured disability in activities of daily living. We estimated monthly probabilities of disability and death associated with unemployment using multinomial logistic Markov models adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, health status at baseline and throughout work life, and social support. We used the probabilities to create large populations with microsimulation, each individual having known monthly disability status, age 40 to death. We analyzed the populations to measure outcomes. RESULTS: Respectively for African American and white women and African American and white men, life expectancies (with 95% confidence intervals) from age 40 with low unemployment were ages: 77.1 (75.0-78.3), 80.6 (78.4-81.4), 71.4 (69.6-72.5), and 76.9 (74.9-77.9). Corresponding high unemployment results were: 73.7 (71.7-75.0), 77.5 (75.1-78.0), 68.4 (66.8-69.0), and 73.7 (71.5-74.3). The percentage of life disabled from age 40 was greater with high unemployment for the same groups, by 23.9%, 21.0%, 21.3%, and 21.1% (all p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: High lifetime unemployment may be associated with a larger proportion of later life with disability and lower life expectancy.