Subjective Health and Illness, Coping and Life Satisfaction in an 80-Year-Old Swedish Population - Implications for Mortality

• Background: Multimorbidity and illness will become more common due to increased life expectancy. Purpose: This study describes various combinations of diseases and symptoms and explores implications for survival in a sample of 80 year-olds followed up to 95 years of age. Furthermore, reported subjective health, coping, and life satisfaction is explored. Method: 212 persons, born in 1908, were classified into four groups based on their number of diseases and reported symptoms according to a health examination at the age of 80. These groups were compared regarding standardized measurements of subjective health, depression, coping, life satisfaction, and mortality. Results: The mortality risks, the hazard ratios, were of the same magnitude, 1.8-2.2, whether the persons experienced several symptoms, had several diseases, or a combination of several symptoms and several diseases when compared to the healthy group of respondents. Conclusion: The experience of subjective signs of illness carries the same mortality risks as diseases.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap -- Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Other Medical and Health Sciences -- Gerontology, specialising in Medical and Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

coping behavior

cohort

elderly

mortality

comorbidity

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

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