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

• Published in: International journal of behavioral medicine Vol. 14; no. 3; p. 173
• Main Authors: Stalbrand, Ingela Steij, Svensson, Torbjorn, Elmstahl, Solve, Horstmann, Vibeke, Hagberg, Bo, Dehlin, Ove, Samuelsson, Gillis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer Nature B.V 01-09-2007
• Subjects: Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap; Behavioral sciences; cohort; comorbidity; coping behavior; elderly; Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning; Gerontology, specializing in Medical and Health Sciences; Illnesses; Life expectancy; Medical and Health Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mortality; Older people; Other Medical Sciences; Quality of life; Sweden
• ISSN: 1070-5503; 1532-7558
• DOI: 10.1080/10705500701527653

Multimorbidity and illness will become more common due to increased life expectancy. This study describes various combinations of diseases and symptoms and explores implications for mortality in a sample of 80-year-olds followed up to 95 years of age. Furthermore, reported subjective health, coping, and life satisfaction is explored. 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. 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. The experience of subjective signs of illness carries the same mortality risks as diseases.