Subdividing the age group of 85 years and older to improve US disease reporting.
The standard terminal age category in disease reporting in the United States has been 85 years and older since the 1940s, but the dramatically increasing share of the US population reaching this age has rendered the single category inadequate for surveillance, research, and analysis. Important age-specific variations in mortality among the oldest old are masked by the continued use of this category. Greater specificity in age-specific data for the oldest old would aid in disease surveillance and etiologic research and broaden awareness and understanding of human longevity.
New York State Cancer Registry, New York State Department of Health, Albany, USA. fpb01@health.state.ny.us
Francis P
FP
Boscoe
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014481:United States