title: The Bambuí Cohort Study of Aging: methodology and health profile of participants at baseline.
abstract: The cohort study was initiated in 1997 to investigate the incidence and predictors of health outcomes in an elderly population with low socio-economic level. The eligible population consisted of all 1,742 residents in Bambuí, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, aged 60 years and over (1,606 participated). During 10 years of follow-up, 641 participants died and 96 were lost, leading to 13,739 person-years of observation. The baseline health profile of participants revealed a double burden of diseases with high prevalence of chronic non-transmissible diseases and widespread Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The most common health condition was hypertension (61.5%), followed by chronic knee or hand symptoms (43.6%), common mental disorders (38.5%), T. cruzi infection (38.1%), and insomnia (36.7%). In general, the baseline prevalence of mental symptoms and cardiovascular diseases or risk factors was comparable to those found in populations in high income countries.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos em Saúde Pública e Envelhecimento, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil. lima-costa@cpqrr.fiocruz.br
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lima-Costa
authors.forename: Josélia O A
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Firmo
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Uchôa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors