广东省老年人跌倒及其影响因素和平衡能力受损现况

  目的  调查广东省社区老年人跌倒和平衡能力受损现状及跌倒影响因素。  方法  采用多阶段分层整群随机抽样的方法进行抽样调查,共有5 503名≥60岁老年人纳入分析。采用χ2检验分析老年人跌倒发生率和平衡能力受损率在不同特征老年人之间的差异,采用多因素Logistic回归分析模型分析跌倒的影响因素。  结果  本研究中老年人过去1年的跌倒发生率为11.90%,平衡能力受损率为58.37%。跌倒和平衡能力受损情况在女性、农村、文盲、无配偶和独居的老年人中较为常见(均有P＜0.05)。多因素分析显示,女性跌倒的危险性较男性高,跌倒发生情况随年龄的增加而愈发严重。农村老年人跌倒危险性高于城市老年人。老年人在家走动或做家务时最常发生跌倒(35.11%),因跌倒造成擦伤/挫伤、骨折、扭伤/拉伤、脑震荡/脑挫裂伤和其他受伤类型的比例分别为55.77%、22.22%、17.09%、1.07%和3.85%。  结论  广东省社区老年人在过去1年内发生跌倒的情况较多,平衡能力受损现状严重,应加强对老年人的防跌倒健康宣教和以家庭防护为主的综合干预措施。     

Falls and Fall-Related Injuries Among the Elderly: A Survey of Residential-Care Facilities in a Swedish Municipality

Injurious falls among the elderly are an increasing public-health problem in Sweden. One group particularly vulnerable to falls consists of elderly people living in residential-care facilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which falls lead to injury within a defined population of elderly people in institutionalized care. All the elderly persons living in residential-care facilities in an urban Swedish municipality during the year 1997 (n = 469 institutional places). Falls and fall-related injuries were registered over a one-year period. Data were gathered by personnel at the time of the falls, using a form specifically designed for surveillance purposes. Of the 865 falls reported during the study period, 375 were among men, with an average age of 82 years, and 490 among women, with an average age of 85 years. Men were subject to falling to a greater extent than women. The most common location was the individual's own bedroom. Injuries were incurred in approximately one in four falls, and the head was the body part most frequently injured. Only 24 falls (2.8%) resulted in a fracture, of which 18 were hip fractures. Although elderly people living in residential-care facilities fall fairly often, serious injuries, in the form of fractures, are incurred to a relatively limited extent.     

National trends and coding patterns in fall-related mortality among the elderly in the United States

Because good information on deaths caused by a fall would be important for prevention policies, we analyzed the influence of coding differences on variability in state-level fall death rates in the elderly. We examined state differences in the number of cause of death codes on death certificates, death certifiers, completeness of E-coding, and indicators of specificity of coding. We found that state-specific fall mortality rates ranged from 13.9 to 140.4 in people aged 65 years and above. States employing a coroner to investigate injury deaths had 14 per cent fewer recorded fall deaths than those where a medical examiner conducted the investigations. Each unit increase in the median number of cause of death codes was associated with a 10 per cent increase in the number of falls. For each 1 per cent increase in the use of unspecified codes for the underlying cause of death, the number of falls dropped by 2 per cent. Current fall mortality data do not appear to identify all instances of falls. Variability in unintentional fall-related death rates among states may be partly explained by death certification coding practices. Standardization of coding and training for documentation of fall events and death certificate reporting could help uncover the actual fall mortality burden in the elderly.     

Differential risk factor profiles for indoor and outdoor falls in older people living at home in Nottingham, UK

The objectives of this work were: to estimate the incidence of falls within an at-risk group of community-dwelling elderly people; to assess the risk factors associated with incident falls; to examine the effects of incident falls on survival. A random sample of 1042 community-dwelling older people in Nottingham (UK) were interviewed in 1985 and survivors re-interviewed at 4-year follow-up. The at-risk group was defined as survivors who had not fallen in the year prior to the baseline interview (n=444). One-year fall recall was assessed using a questionnaire and included physical health, mobility, prescribed drugs and time spent walking. Body-weight and handgrip strength were measured. Eight-year post-fall mortality was recorded. In 1989 117 new fallers were identified. These people fell a total of 233 times in the year prior to re-interview (incidence rate: 524.8 per 1000 person-years at risk; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 473.3–576.3). People aged less than 75 were more likely to fall outdoors than people aged 75and over (2=5.715, df=1, p=0.017). Risk factors associated with falling were: being less healthy (odds ratio (OR): 0.55; p=0.052); having a walking speed in the range stroll/very slow/non-ambulant compared with normal/brisk/fast (OR: 1.99; p<0.01); and number of prescribed drugs (OR: 1.30; p=0.01). When analysed separately, indoor and outdoor falls presented differential risk profiles, with evidence that indoor falls were associated with frailty, while outdoor falls were associated with compromised health status in more active people. In 8-year post-fall monitoring, multiple (3+) fallers and indoor fallers showed a significant excess mortality. The differences in risk factors for, and prognoses following, indoor and outdoor falls, emphasise the complex interactions between intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with falling among older people.     

北京、上海社区老年人跌倒现况及影响因素研究

目的 了解北京、上海两城市社区老年人跌倒发生的现况,分析社区老年人跌倒发生的危险因素,为开展老年人跌倒的预防工作提供理论依据。方法 采用多阶段整群随机抽样,分别抽取北京市的4个小区和上海市的6个小区,对其中≥60岁的老年人进行入户调查。结果 接受本次调查并完成全部问卷的老年人共1 345人,2014年内共有342人发生过跌倒,共发生478次,跌倒发生率为35.54%,跌倒的地点主要在家中,占45.61%。多因素分析结果显示,跌倒发生的影响因素主要有:年龄,易导致跌倒发生的相关疾病,能否正确认识自己的能力,鞋子是否合脚防滑,楼梯台阶高度、坡度是否合适。结论 北京、上海两地跌倒发生率较高,跌倒主要发生在家中。为了降低老年人跌倒发生率,应该从个人、家庭、社区等各个方面针对高危人群进行综合性的干预措施。     

The frequency of going outdoors, and physical, psychological and social functioning among community-dwelling older adults

PURPOSES: This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between the frequency of going outdoors and physical, psychological, and social functioning among community-dwelling older people. METHODS: Out of all residents aged 65 and over residing in Yoita town, Niigata prefecture (n = 1,673), 1,544 living at home participated in an interview survey held in November 2000. Physical, psychological, and social functioning were compared among four groups defined by the frequency of going outdoors: (1) at least once a day, (2) about once per 2-3 days, (3) about once a week, and (4) seldom. To examine the independent association between the frequency of going outdoors and potential factors, we used multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall distribution of the frequency of going outdoors among the subjects was 76.3% for at least once a day, 13.1% for about once per 2 or 3 days, 3.7% for about once a week, and 6.9% for seldom. The frequency of going outdoors did not differ between genders, but showed significant decrease with advancing age in both sexes. Elderly going outdoors more often were less functionally impaired, scored less for depression and were more socially active than their counterparts going outdoors less often. Multiple logistic regression analysis with the forced entry method identified walking difficulty and fear of falls as the most powerful independent factors associated with going outdoors less than or equal to once a week, while low social activity and a more depressed score were important factors associated with going outdoors about once per 2-3 days. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of going outdoors may be regarded as a generic health indicator among community-dwelling elderly people.     

The construction of a patient record-based risk model for recurrent falls among elderly people living in the community

BACKGROUND: Predictive models of fall risk in the elderly living in the community may contribute to the identification of elderly at risk for recurrent falling. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to investigate occurrence, determinants and health consequences of falls in a community-dwelling elderly population and the contribution of data from patient records to a risk model of recurrent falls. METHODS: A population survey was carried out using a postal questionnaire. The questionnaire on occurrence, determinants and health consequences of falls was sent to 2744 elderly persons of 70 years and over, registered in four general practices (n = 27 000). Data were analysed by bivariate techniques and logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 1660 (60%) responded. Falls (> or =1 fall) in the previous year were reported by 44%: one-off falls by 25% and recurrent falls (> or =2 falls) by 19%. Women had significantly more falls than men. Major injury was reported by 8% of the fallers; minor injury by 49%. Treatment of injuries was by the GP in 67% of cases. From logistic regression, a risk model for recurrent falls, consisting of the risk factors female gender, age 80 years or over, presence of a chronic neurological disorder, use of antidepressants, problems of balance and sense organs and complaints of muscles and joints was developed. The model predicted recurrent falls with a sensitivity of 64%, a specificity of 71%, a positive predictive value of 42% and a negative predictive value of 86%. CONCLUSION: A risk model consisting of six variables usually known to the GP from the patient records may be a useful tool in the identification of elderly people living in the community at risk for recurrent falls.     

Perceived neighborhood environment and walking for specific purposes among elderly Japanese

Background

Recent research has revealed the importance of neighborhood environment as a determinant of physical activity. However, evidence among elderly adults is limited. This study examined the association between perceived neighborhood environment and walking for specific purposes among Japanese elderly adults.

Methods

This population-based, cross-sectional study enrolled 1921 participants (age: 65–74 years, men: 51.9%). Neighborhood environment (International Physical Activity Questionnaire Environmental Module) and walking for specific purposes (ie, transportation or recreation) were assessed by self-report. Multilevel logistic regression analyses with individuals at level 1 and neighborhoods at level 2 were conducted to examine the association between environment and walking, after adjustment for potential confounders.

Results

Access to exercise facilities, social environment, and aesthetics were associated with total neighborhood walking. Odds ratios (95% CI) were 1.23 (1.00–1.51), 1.39 (1.14–1.71), and 1.48 (1.21–1.81), respectively. Regarding walking for specific purposes, social environment and aesthetics were consistent correlates of both transportation walking and recreational walking. Environmental correlates differed by specific types of walking and by sex. Transportation walking significantly correlated with a greater variety of environmental attributes. Sex differences were observed, especially for transportation walking. Bicycle lanes, crime safety, traffic safety, aesthetics, and household motor vehicles were significant correlates among men, while access to shops, access to exercise facilities, and social environment were important among women.

Conclusions

Specific environment–walking associations differed by walking purpose and sex among elderly adults. Social environment and aesthetics were consistent correlates of both transportation walking and recreational walking. Improving these environmental features might be effective in promoting physical activity among elderly Japanese.Key words: physical activity, transportation, recreation, policy     

Heterogeneity of Falls Among Older Adults: Implications for Public Health Prevention

Objectives. We examined risk factors for falls among older people according to indoor and outdoor activity at the time of the fall and explored risk factors for seriously injurious falls.Methods. Data came from MOBILIZE Boston, a prospective cohort study of 765 community-dwelling women and men, mainly aged 70 years or older. Over 4.3 years, 1737 falls were recorded, along with indoor or outdoor activity at the time of the fall.Results. Participants with poor baseline health characteristics had elevated rates of indoor falls while transitioning, walking, or not moving. Healthy, active people had elevated rates of outdoor falls during walking and vigorous activity. For instance, participants with fast, rather than normal, gait speed, had a rate ratio of 7.36 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.54, 21.28) for outdoor falls during vigorous activity. The likelihood of a seriously injurious fall also varied by personal characteristics, activity, and location. For example, the odds ratio for serious injury from an outdoor fall while walking outside compared to inside a participant’s neighborhood was 3.31 (95% CI = 1.33, 8.23).Conclusions. Fall prevention programs should be tailored to personal characteristics, activities, and locations.Falls in older people are a major public health problem. In the United States, about one third of community-dwelling people aged 65 years or older fall each year, with about 10% of falls resulting in serious injury.1–3 These falls and injuries can lead to disability, loss of independence, and fear of falling.1 Several fall prevention strategies have been developed, most of which emphasize strength, balance, and gait training; use of assistive devices; treatment of medical conditions; reduction in the use of certain medications; improvement in vision; and elimination of home hazards.1–6 However, about 50% of falls in community-dwelling older people occur outdoors, mainly in healthy, active people.7–13 Knowing which people are likely to fall under what circumstances should help prevention efforts by enabling different recommendations to be emphasized to different people, a strategy recommended in the 1990s by Northridge et al.14,15 and Speechley and Tinetti,16 but seldom implemented as policy.Previous studies have reported on people’s activities at the time they fall, with walking by far most frequent.9,17–19 However, only limited data are available on whether certain personal characteristics affect the likelihood of falls during specific activities, and on which combinations of fall-related activities, personal characteristics, and location are most likely to result in serious injury among those who fall.14,17Our objectives were (1) to examine whether particular personal characteristics (e.g., demographic, lifestyle, and health attributes; functional and cognitive status; fall history) are associated with falls during certain indoor and outdoor activities and (2) to explore, with smaller numbers of events, risk factors for serious injury from falls according to personal characteristics, activity, and location. Such information can contribute to the development of more effective public health prevention strategies tailored to specific groups of people and activities.     

北京市社区老年人跌倒发生现况及危险因素分析

目的 了解北京市社区老年人跌倒的发生特点与规律,并对造成跌倒发生的危险因素进行分析,为进一步开展老年人跌倒的预防工作提供依据.方法 本次调查覆盖北京市某街道所辖的12个社区,在每个社区内符合条件的60岁及以上老年人中,采用系统抽样方法分别抽取100名老年人进行人户调查.结果 在被调查的老年人中,1年内共有169位老年人发生过258次跌倒,跌倒发生率为15.6％,其中男性跌倒发生率为14.7％ (96人次),女性跌倒发生率为16.4％(162人次);老年人跌倒大多发生在室内.不同性别的老年人跌倒发生地点的构成差异有统计学意义(x2=8.05,P=0.045);社区老年人跌倒损伤部位以四肢最多见,其次为躯干和头面部,导致内脏损伤较少见,只有5人,不同性别的老年人跌伤部位的构成差异有统计学意义(x2=7.99,P=0.046);年龄高(OR=2.395,95％ CI:1.902～3.001)、担心跌伤(OR=1.433,95％ CI:1.120～1.833)、家庭不和睦(OR=1.238,95％ CI:1.047～2.049)为社区老年人跌倒的危险因素.结论 北京市社区老年人跌倒发生率较高,严重威胁着老年人的身心健康.     

Falls among healthy, community-dwelling, older women: a prospective study of frequency, circumstances, consequences and prediction accuracy

OBJECTIVE: Most studies of falls among older people have focused on those with some degree of balance or mobility impairment. This study aimed to establish whether falls and associated injuries were a major problem among healthy, older women, whether there were some common features in the falls, and whether these falls could be accurately predicted. METHOD: Ninety-six healthy, active community-dwelling women in Melbourne, Australia, aged at least 70 years (mean 74.1 +/- 4.0) were initially measured on a comprehensive series of laboratory and clinical balance tests, gait, strength and psychometric measures. Subjects were monitored for falls events, circumstances and consequences by use of falls diaries and monthly phone calls. Baseline measures of clinical balance measures and gait were comparable to other studies reporting scores on these measures in samples of healthy older people. RESULTS: During the 12-month follow-up period, 49% of subjects fell, with 23% falling more than once; 9% suffered fractures as a result of their fall and 10% suffered strains or other moderate injuries. Many of the falls occurred during non-threatening activities such as walking, often under altered sensory or environmental conditions. Multivariate logistic regression identified gait symmetry and gait double support duration as the variables most strongly associated with prediction of multiple fallers. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight that falls are a major problem among healthy active older women, and that targeted falls prevention programs are required for this group.     

The ageing and de-institutionalisation of death—Evidence from England and Wales

Increasingly, age of death is postponed until very old age, and care of those who are dying is challenged by medical co-morbidities and the presence of dementia. Although most people would prefer to die at home, currently in England and Wales only about 20 per cent of those aged 65 years and over die at home, and this proportion falls to about 10 per cent among those aged over 85 years. To explore recent and likely future trends in age and place of death, mortality statistics from 2006 to 2013 were analysed and projected to 2050 using age- and gender-specific rates. Results confirmed recent increasing age at death and indicated a trend for increasing proportions of older people to die at home. Projections indicated large increases in home-based deaths, particularly for men aged 65 and over. Consistent with people’s wishes, there may be a partial return to the view that dying at home is a normal experience. Resource allocations are likely to need to shift to support people dying at home and their formal and informal carers.     

江苏省老年人跌倒发生情况及危险因素分析

目的探讨江苏省老年人跌倒的流行病学特征及危险因素,为制定相应的干预措施提供科学依据。方法采用多阶段分层整群抽样的方法,以问卷方式调查江苏省老年人过去1年跌倒发生情况。结果共调查6 245人,跌倒发生率为2.79%。家庭是老年人跌倒的好发地点。随着年龄的增长,跌倒发生率增高。单因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,年龄高、生活在农村、丧偶、文化程度低、家庭经济状况较差、住房类型为楼房、体育锻炼较少、行走能力较差为老年人跌倒的危险因素。结论老年人跌倒是一个严重的公共卫生问题,与许多因素相关,对于高危人群应该采取一系列针对性的预防措施。     

Incident fall risk and physical activity and physical performance among older men: the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study

Physical activity and physical performance have been linked to fall risk in the elderly. The authors examined the relation between physical activity and physical performance with incident falls in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study, a large prospective cohort study of 5,995 community-dwelling men in the United States at least 65 years of age. The authors also examined what types of activities are associated with falling. Incident falls between 2000 and 2005 were captured from up to 17 triannual follow-up questionnaires per participant and analyzed with generalized estimating equations. Follow-up averaged 4.5 years. The average risk of falling in the first 4 months of follow-up was 6.6%. The most active quartile had a significantly greater fall risk than did the least active quartile (relative risk = 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07, 1.29). Men with greater leg power and grip strength had significantly reduced fall risk (for highest leg power quartile vs. lowest: relative risk = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.92; for highest grip strength quartile vs. lowest: relative risk = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.69, 0.85). Partitioning components of activity showed no association between fall risk and leisure activities but a positive association with household activities (for highest quartile vs.lowest: relative risk = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.28).     

Physical Performance Measures as Predictors of Mortality in a Cohort of Community-dwelling Older French Women

This prospective cohort study evaluate the predictive value of physical performance measures for mortality in older French women, in particular those with a high health status. The subjects were 7,250 community-dwelling non-disabled French women aged 75 years or older, enrolled in the Epidémiologie de l’ostéoporose (EPIDOS) study. The short physical performance battery (SPPB), including walking speed, repeated chair stands, and balance tests, was administered and handgrip strength was measured. Anthropometric measurements, physical function, cognitive performance, sensory status, smoking, medical history, medication use, subjective self-assessment of health status, and physical activity level were assessed at the baseline visit. During a mean follow-up of 3.8 years, 754 (10.4%) participants died. Complementary analysis was performed on the 2,157 non-disabled healthiest participants (no disease at baseline). The SPPB and handgrip strength distinguished a gradient of risk for mortality from a low to high functional spectrum. Risk of death was 2.04-fold higher in poor (SPPB 0–6) than in good (SPPB 10–12) performers and 1.56-fold higher in participants with lower tertile grip strength. Walking speed alone also distinguished a gradient of mortality risk. After adjustment for confounders, low SPPB, grip strength score and slow walking speed remained significantly associated with death. In the non-disabled healthiest women, no physical performance measure predicted death. In community-dwelling elderly French women, physical performance measures significantly and independently predicted mortality. Increased risk of death was partly explained by baseline health status and was absent in the healthiest elderly.     

2015-2019年云南省老年人非故意跌落死亡率及其趋势分析

  目的  了解2015-2019年云南省＞60岁老年人非故意跌落致死情况和变化趋势,为制定防控干预措施提供依据。  方法  利用人口死亡信息登记管理系统2015-2019年云南省死因监测数据,采用描述性流行病学方法对老年人非故意跌落死亡资料进行统计分析。  结果  2015-2019年云南省老年人非故意跌落共报告死亡数22 799人,年龄标化死亡率从2015年59.00/10万上升到了2019年的94.98/10万,5年总体呈上升趋势。各年间非故意跌落报告死亡率总体上男性高于女性,2019年分别为140.18/10万和111.62/10万;城市高于农村,2019年分别为110.33/10万和89.70/10万。非故意跌落死亡率随年龄增加呈上升趋势,其中死亡率的峰值出现在≥80岁。跌落发生场所主要在家中,占61.19%,死亡地点也主要在家中,占84.18%。  结论  2015-2019年云南省老年人非故意跌落死亡率呈上升趋势,男性、城市和高龄老人是防控重点人群,非故意跌落和死亡地点多发生在家中,宜从健康教育、居住环境改善和跌落后就医等多个环节入手,采取有针对性的防控措施,以有效减少非故意跌落的发生及其造成的伤害。     

Prevalence of falls and associated factors in the elderly

OBJECTIVE: Increased life expectancy and consequent growth of the elderly population has resulted in changes in the epidemiological morbidity and mortality profile. In the group of chronic degenerative diseases, falls are a prevailing among those preventable conditions. The objective of the study was to assess prevalence of falls in the elderly and to describe their associated factors. METHODS: Cross-sectional study comprising 4,003 elderly subjects (aged 65 years or more) living in areas covered by primary health care in 41 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants from seven Brazilian states. Wald test for heterogeneity and linear trend were used for the estimation of significance level. Adjusted analysis was conducted using Poisson regression and adjusted prevalence rates were estimated. RESULTS: The prevalence of falls among the elderly was 34.8%, significantly higher in women (40.1%) than men. Among those who experienced falls, 12.1% had fractures as a consequence. The prevalence of falls was directly associated with older age, sedentary lifestyle, self-perception of poor health and more chronic drug use reported. The prevalence of falls was similar in the elderly attending different care services (basic health care units and Family Health Program). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of falls among elderly could be reduced through actions targeting their needs in health care units, especially regarding preventable associated factors.     

Coronary heart disease and depression in the elderly--a population- based study

BACKGROUND: Growing interest is nowadays focused on the quality of life of elderly people who survive with chronic diseases. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common diseases among the elderly and may have an unfavourable impact on the patient's emotional well-being. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to describe the prevalence of depression and the occurrence of depressive symptoms among elderly CHD patients, with a special emphasis on the relations between depression and the severity of CHD, and to find out the possible association between CHD and depression. METHODS: The study was carried out at the health centre of the municipality of Lieto, in south-west Finland. The study population consisted of 488 community-dwelling men and 708 women, over 64 years old, from among whom the participants with CHD (89 men and 73 women) were selected, and for whom 178 male and 146 female sex- and age- matched controls (free of CHD) were drawn from the population. CHD patients were selected on the basis of the presence of angina pectoris or a past myocardial infarction. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale. Depression was described in relation to the severity of dyspnoea and chest pain among patients. The associations between depression and age, health, health behaviour, drugs, functional ability and social, psychosocial and environmental factors were analysed by logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression was 29% among male patients and 20% among female patients. Depression was significantly more common among male CHD patients than among male controls (P = 0.011). Among women, depression was not associated with CHD. Earlier, depression had gone undiagnosed among many CHD patients and controls, especially male patients. Among male CHD patients, depression was associated with more severe dyspnoea, but no similar association was found among female CHD patients. Among men the occurrence of CHD, physical disability, widowhood or divorce, and among women previous clinical depression, physical disability and the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, were associated with depression. CONCLUSION: Depression is common among patients with CHD. It seems that CHD is not an independent factor in the aetiology of depression among the elderly. The association of CHD with depression among men is explained by the acute or chronic psychic stress caused by CHD. It may be that the more complicated the patient's CHD, the more probable is the presence of depression.      

Long-term benzodiazepine use by elderly people living in the community

Objective : To investigate the prevalence of long‐term benzodiazepine use in an elderly community sample, and factors associated with such use. Method : Data came from the Sydney Older Persons Study, a longitudinal study of people aged 75 or over. There were 337 subjects who were interviewed in 1991–93, and subsequently followed up after three and 4.5 years. At the first interview, subjects were assessed for socio‐demographic characteristics, physical and mental health, and use of health services. At the first and subsequent interviews, subjects were asked about use of medications, including benzodiazepines. Results : There were 16.6% who were using benzodiazepines at the time of all three interviews, while a further 19.6% were using them at one or two interviews. In a multivariate ordered logit regression model, long‐term benzodiazepine use was associated with treatment for nervous conditions, restless sleep, being female, being divorced and greater contact with medical services. Conclusions : The prevalence of benzodiazepine use in the elderly is high and much of this use is long term. The high prevalence of benzodiazepine use stands in contrast to the findings from national surveys that the elderly living in the community tend to have better mental health than younger age groups. Implications : Efforts are needed to reduce the number of elderly people becoming long‐term users. The use of benzodiazepines in this age group is of particular concern, because they may be a risk factor for falls and for cognitive impairment in the elderly.     

Demographics of the prevalence, incidence, and management of coronary heart disease in the elderly and in women.

Cardiovascular disease constitutes an expanding problem in the elderly because of the increasing size of the aged population. Atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes are responsible for the predonderance of cardiovascular disease, which causes 70% of all deaths beyond age 75. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common and most lethal cardiovascular event in both sexes, exacting a large toll in disability and deteriorated quality of life in old age. Unrecognized myocardial infarctions are especially common and are as serious as symptomatic infarctions. beyond age 65, women are as vulnerable to cardiovascular death as men. The predisposing modifiable risk factors for coronary disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and cardiac failure are similar in young and old and in men and women. These include hypertension, dyslipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance, physical indolence, and cigarette smoking. An attenuated risk ratio for some risk factors is offset by a greater incidence of cardiovascular events in advanced age so that the attributable risk and the potential benefit of treatment rise with age. Because the major risk factors predict CHD as efficiently in the elderly as in the young, and the decline in cardiovascular mortality has included the elderly, preventive efforts in the elderly may have substantial potential benefit. At advanced age, total cholesterol levels are considerably higher in women than in men. Some 10 million elderly, two-thirds of whom are women, may require investigation and treatment for elevated lipid levels, as determined by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) guidelines. Because of the preponderance of women in the elderly population, trials of the efficacy of correcting risk factors in general, and lipids in particular, should include women.