Health status, quality of life and mortality in a randomized Italian elderly people

The present study constitutes the Italian part of the SENECA Study: 89 elderly (39 men and 50 women), born between 1913-1918, were studied to evaluate health status, quality of life and mortality. The great part of the subjects (84.6% of men, 76% of women) was able to move outdoors and to use stairs without difficulty. 97.4% of men and 94 % of women practised physical activities (walking). 15% of men and 40% of women declared "good health"; 2% of men and 14% of women declared "poor health". The most frequent chronic disease was arthritis/arthrosis in both genders, especially in women, followed by osteoporosis in women, hypertension in men. The use of medicines was high (79.5% in men, 82% in women); instead, few subjects used vitamin/mineral supplements. The cognitive function of almost all the subjects was good. Mortality was significantly higher) in men (71%) than is women (29%)(p<0.0001). The most frequent causes of death were malignant neoplasia (47.3% in men, 40% in women) and cardiovascular disease (28.2% in men, 40% in women). In conclusion, in sample, although the opinion of our most of subjects about their health status was good, chronic diseases were common. Arthrosis was the most frequent chronic disease. Malignant neoplasia was the first cause of death in both genders.