[A comparison of characteristics of functionally dependent elderly in Shanghai and Tokyo]

Characteristics of health conditions of functionally dependent elderly living in Shanghai and Tokyo were analyzed. In 1989, a survey was conducted in Shanghai incorporating screening and a questionnaire, designed and used in a survey conducted in 1985 by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in Tokyo. The following results were obtained: 1) Prevalence of functionally dependent elderly was higher among all age groups and either sex in Shanghai than in Tokyo. Subjects were younger in Shanghai than in Tokyo. 2) Analysis of causes for subjects becoming bedridden showed that cerebrovascular diseases ranked highest in proportion among either sex in Shanghai and among men in Tokyo. It was second among women in Tokyo. Subjects who were older showed a high proportion with senility and low proportion with cerebrovascular diseases. Among men the proportion with senility was lower in Shanghai than in Tokyo. 3) The proportion of subjects who were bedridden for at least five years among 85 years or over was nearly 3 times higher in Shanghai than in Tokyo. 4) The proportion of subjects 84 years or under with very low ADL was higher in Shanghai than in Tokyo for either sex. 5) The proportion with cognitive impairment was not different between the two cities. However subjects with abnormal behaviors were more commonly found in Tokyo than in Shanghai. This observed difference may possibly arise from differences in environmental stress.