Distinct health-related risk profiles among middle-aged and older adults with risky alcohol use from the Danish general population

Abstract Purpose To study the predictive ability of each of the eight scales of SF-36 on 13-year all-cause mortality and incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in a general middle-aged population. Methods The population-based, longitudinal “Life-conditions, Stress and Health” study, in 2003–2004 enrolled 1007 persons aged 45–69 years (50% female), randomly sampled from the general population in Östergötland, Sweden. Variables at baseline included the SF-36 (health-related quality of life, HRQoL) and self-reported disease. Incident CHD (morbidity and mortality) and all-cause mortality data for the study population during the first 13 years from baseline were obtained from national Swedish registries. Results Seven of the eight SF-36 scales predicted CHD (sex- and age-adjusted Hazard Ratios up to 2.15; p ≤ 0.05), while only the Physical Functioning scale significantly predicted all-cause mortality. Further adjustments for presence of (self-reported) disease did not, in most cases, alter these significant predictions. Conclusion Low SF-36 scores predict risk of CHD, also after adjustment for present disease, supporting the biopsychosocial model of health and disease. Measures of HRQoL yield important information and can add to the cardiopreventive toolbox, including primary prevention efforts, as it is such a simple and relatively inexpensive tool.

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Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x21001707 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-22

Author(s):

Fredrica Nyqvist ◽

Marina Näsman ◽

Jessica Hemberg ◽

Mikael Nygård

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Older Adults ◽

Older People ◽

Northern Sweden ◽

Study Region ◽

Regional Context ◽

Related Risk ◽

Health Related ◽

Logistic Regressions

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of loneliness among older people and to identify risk factors for loneliness in a Nordic regional context over a six-year period. Longitudinal data from the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA) study of 4,269 older adults living in northern Sweden and western Finland, aged 65, 70, 75 and 80 at baseline in 2010, were analysed. Logistic regressions were used to analyse socio-demographic, social and health-related risk factors at baseline and changes in these for experiences of loneliness at follow-up. The results showed that most older adults (85%) did not experience loneliness at baseline or at follow-up in our study region. However, 3 per cent of the sample reported loneliness in both study years, indicating enduring and chronic loneliness. Analyses revealed that being widowed and becoming a widow/er as well as poor self-rated health at baseline and the onset of depression were risk factors for loneliness. Finally, the risk of loneliness was higher in older people living in Sweden. Further work is needed to explore changes and stability in loneliness as well as to increase our understanding of between-country differences in loneliness.

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