title: To grow old in southern Italy: a comprehensive description of the old and oldest old in Calabria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The unprecedented growth of the elderly population is posing important social and medical problems as management of this population is highly demanding in terms of assistance and care. Consequently, many studies are focusing on the elderly subjects in order to better understand their needs by identifying various environmental, social, psychological, and genetic factors determining the quality of ageing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to carry out a survey of the elderly Calabrian population in order to highlight the social and medical conditions of this continuously growing population group.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have been monitoring the elderly population of Calabria for more than 10 years. For the present study, we collected data regarding 853 subjects by using two specific questionnaires, one for the subjects older than 90 years (400 subjects) and one for the subjects aged between 65 and 85 years (453 subjects).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey allowed us to carry out an extensive description of the ageing Calabrian population regarding the sociodemographic characteristics, living conditions, cognitive functioning, level of independence in activities of daily living, former and current diseases and health disorders. We could notice that males were in a better condition than females. In fact, male subjects turned out to have better physical performance and lower comorbidity, although their life expectancy is lower. Ultranonagenarians had a lower incidence of serious diseases (such as diabetes, osteoporosis and gastric ulcer), but a higher incidence of non-fatal chronic, debilitating conditions (cataract and bronchitis among others).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data we collected and analyzed offer a portrait of elderly Calabrian subjects, on who they are, how they feel, which social and psychological resources they have, and what their health status is. Analysis of the data highlighted that they are characterized by a lower physical performance in comparison to other European populations. Finally, the data presented here may also serve as a valuable source of information to characterize the ageing Calabrian population and improve the care of these subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Rango
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montesanto
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berardelli
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazzei
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.forename: Fabrizia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lattanzio
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corsonello
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passarino
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011788:Quality of Life; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors