Health status and lifestyle in elderly Hawaii Japanese and Australian men. Exploring known differences in longevity.
OBJECTIVE
To contrast health status and lifestyle in two elderly populations with differing longevity.


METHODS
Comparison of two cross-sectional data sets.


METHODS
Non-institutionalised subjects.


METHODS
Men aged 60-81 years resident in Dubbo, New South Wales (n = 1183, 1988-1989) and Japanese men of the same ages resident in Hawaii (n = 1376, 1980-1982).


METHODS
Cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular disease prevalence, risk factors, social and health status.


RESULTS
A history of heart attack, angina and stroke was twice as prevalent in Dubbo men as in Hawaii Japanese. Other diseases were many times more prevalent in Dubbo--liver disease sixfold, prostate and renal disease twofold, and arthritis 1.5-fold. Hypercholesterolaemia and untreated hypertension were more prevalent in Dubbo (threefold and 1.5-fold respectively). Current smoking was similar in both groups, while diabetes was twice as prevalent in the Hawaii Japanese. More Dubbo men were widowed or lived alone, and fewer remained in paid employment. Dubbo men had more limited physical mobility.


CONCLUSIONS
Elderly Dubbo men have an excess of cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors, as well as an excess of non-cardiovascular disease, compared with Hawaii Japanese. This may account, in part, for a higher total mortality rate in elderly Australians compared with Japanese. Some of this disease burden may be amenable to risk factor intervention.
Simons
L A
LA
University of NSW School of Medicine, Darlinghurst.
McCallum
J
J
Simons
J
J
Friedlander
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006254:Hawaii / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011469:Prostatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology