Mortality of frail elderly people living at home in relation to housing conditions.

Abstract

Study objective-The study was undertaken to identify any relationship between the mortality of frail elderly people living at home and their housing conditions. Design and setting-A cohort of frail elderly people living in Yao City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan was followed for six years. Data on demographic variables, activities of daily living, the disease that was the main cause of the disability, medical treatment, the feasibility of continuing family care, and some housing conditions were collected in December 1983 by interview during home visits. Deaths were checked for each year for five years. Subjects-Altogether 423 people aged 65 years or more living at home in Yao City who were disabled and housebound for at least three months were studied. Measurements and main results-Life table analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were done. The cumulative survival rates of old people with good housing conditions were higher than those with poor housing conditions in each group stratified by age, sex, or the activities of daily living level. The odds ratio for poor housing conditions compared with good housing conditions for five year mortality remained highly significant after adjustment for potential confounding factors including age, sex, and the activities of daily living level by logistic regression analysis. Conclusions-The mortality of frail elderly people living at home is affected by housing conditions. Programmes to improve housing conditions of the disabled are important for home care of the elderly.

Effect of an In‐Home Occupational and Physical Therapy Intervention on Reducing Mortality in Functionally Vulnerable Older People: Preliminary Findings

“…Third, reducing difficulties with mobility or bathing and toileting may have additional physiological benefits. It may increase physical actions, which in turn contribute to improved circulation to peripheral vessels and hydration, resulting in enhanced survivorship 17 . Finally, control‐oriented strategies involve constructive problem solving and a cognitive stance that promotes engagement in other healthy behaviors such as help seeking.…”

“…This may support survivorship in several ways. First, previous research has shown an association between poor housing conditions of frail older people and increased mortality 17 . Reducing home hazards by modifying the environment (simplification or installation of grab bars) may improve housing conditions for this vulnerable group.…”

Environmental barriers, person-environment fit and mortality among community-dwelling very old people

“…For example, people living in smaller dwellings have increased risk for mortality, compared to those living in larger dwellings, which is partially explained by socio-economic differences [32]. Other studies that have found an association between poor housing conditions and mortality risk [8,33] have also suggested that poor housing conditions reflect poor socio-economic status [33], which in turn increases mortality risk [34]. In our study, socio-economic status did not correlate with mortality risk and had no effect on the association between environmental barriers and mortality.…”

Characteristics of Rural Homebound Older Adults: A Community‐Based Study

“…The second main area of the literature reports on studies examining more representative samples of homebound older individuals in the general population 11–17 . These studies determine the characteristics of the homebound by comparing them with non‐homebound groups.…”