Comparison of health and effective functioning in Russia and the United States.
BACKGROUND
Global aging may increase the societal burden of providing more resources to augment elders' disabilities. The implications of functional disabilities can vary depending on the society in which they occur.


OBJECTIVE
To determine differences in US and Russian elder citizens' function.


METHODS
Convenience sample of persons 60 years and older were surveyed and evaluated.


METHODS
One hundred community dwelling residents, half from Galesburg, Illinois and half from Moscow, Russia.


METHODS
An interviewer administered questionnaire and functional assessment examination.


RESULTS
The Russian sample was younger than the American sample with a mean age of 67 years versus 78 years, and less likely to be widowed or living alone. Sixty percent of Russians took no medications compared with 14% of Americans, but Russians reported more cardiovascular disease, angina, and hypertension. Forty-four percent of Russians screened as being depressed and only 4% of the Americans. Self-assessed health was good for 77% of Americans and only 6% of Russians. The Medical Outcomes Study SF-36 Health Survey (MOS) eight health concepts showed favorable results for the Americans except for physical functioning, which indicated no difference.


CONCLUSIONS
Marked health and functional differences exist between our samples. Russians had more cardiovascular disease, took less medication, drank and smoked more and were much more likely to be depressed than the US subjects.
Department of Family Medicine, 01290-G PFP, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. gerald-jogerst@uiowa.edu
Gerald J
GJ
Jogerst
Jeanette M
JM
Daly
Vicki
V
Hesli
Chandan
C
Saha
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology