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Trajectories of Nonagenarian Health: Gender, Age, and Period Effects.

TitleTrajectories of Nonagenarian Health: Gender, Age, and Period Effects.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2018
AuthorsOdden, MC, Koh, WJen Hoe, Arnold, AM, Rawlings, AM, Psaty, BM, Newman, AB
JournalAm J Epidemiol
Date Published2018 Nov 08
ISSN1476-6256
Abstract<p>The US population aged 90 years and older is growing rapidly and there are limited data on their health. The Cardiovascular Health Study is a prospective study of black and white adults ≥65 years recruited in two waves (1989-90 and 1992-93) from Medicare eligibility lists in Forsyth County, North Carolina; Sacramento County, California; Washington County, Maryland; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We created a synthetic cohort of the 1,889 participants who had reached age 90 at baseline or during follow-up through July 16th, 2015. Participants entered the cohort at 90 years and we evaluated their changes in health after age 90 (median [IQR] follow-up: 3 [1.3-5] years). Measures of health included cardiovascular events, cognitive function, depressive symptoms, prescription medications, self-rated health, and measures of functional status. The mortality rate was high: 19.0 (95% CI: 17.8, 20.3) per 100 person-years in women and 20.9 (95% CI: 19.2, 22.8) in men. Cognitive function and all measures of functional status declined with age; these changes were similar by gender. When we isolated period effects, we found that medications use increased over time. These estimates can help inform future research and health care systems to meet the needs of this growing population.</p>
DOI10.1093/aje/kwy241
Alternate JournalAm. J. Epidemiol.
PubMed ID30407481
ePub date: 
18/11