Vertical Living and Longevity: Examining Mortality by Floor of Residence in an Elderly Population

Studies investigating the potential health effects of floor of residence have reported conflicting results. In the Rotterdam Study, we examined associations between floor and mortality among elderly residents of a neighborhood of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Participants who were high-rise residents at baseline (n = 2330) were followed for 10 years, until loss to follow-up or death (N = 602). Cox proportional hazard models revealed nonlinear association of floor of residence with mortality, albeit not statistically significant across all floor categories. Compared to floors 13 and above, adjusted hazard ratios [95% confidence interval] were: 1.31 [0.89-1.95] (floors 1-2), 1.52 [1.04-2.22] (floors 3-4), 1.07 [0.73-1.57] (floors 5-6), 1.12 [0.76-1.66] (floors 7-8), 1.45 [0.96-2.18] (floors 9-10), and 1.04 [0.69-1.58] (floors 11-12). In this prospective population-based cohort of elderly adults in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, a nonlinear association was observed between floor level of residence and mortality, with stronger associations observed at lower floors compared to the highest floors.