title: The risk factor profile of grandparents.
abstract: In the Lifeways Cross Generation Cohort Study, mothers were asked to recruit at least one of 4 potential living grandparents to the study, and 1177 grandparents became active participants who either completed a health status questionnaire only (n = 707), or subsequently underwent a cardiovascular risk assessment examination at home (n = 958). Mean age of grandfathers at baseline was 61.5 years (SD 10.3), of grandmothers 59.2 years (SD 9.1), with a range of 40-83 years, 21% of grandmothers and 16% of grandfathers were third level educated. Risk factor profile of grandparents tended to be more adverse than the general population as assessed by the standard cardiovascular risk factor SCORE. Grandparents' socio-demographic characteristics were similar, whether maternal or paternal in origin. Predictors of positive self-rated health were non smoking (OR 1.5, p = 0.06) and non GMS eligibility (OR 1.99, p < 0.001). At four year follow-up, complete general practice data were available for 285 of 488 respondents with full recruitment data (58.4%). Increased GP utilisation pattern was predicted by baseline morbidity characteristics, though heavier male drinkers were less likely to attend.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kelleher
authors.forename: U B
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Fallon
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fitzsimon
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bimpeh
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bury
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires