Self-Reported Lack of Energy (Anergia) Among Elders in a Multiethnic Community

Abstract

Anergia in multiethnic older adults is associated with a range of clinical symptoms and diseases, with extensive health services use, and with increased mortality.

Fatigue in older adults: an early indicator of the aging process?

“…Several cross-sectional studies have shown associations between depression or depressive symptoms and fatigue (17,135) and development of fatigue (15,136,137). However, when adjusting the associations between fatigue and diverse outcomes by depressive symptoms, the results did not seriously change (33,58,62,64).…”

“…This is seen specifically for musculoskeletal diseases (78,79,81), but also for neurological and cardiovascular diseases (78), bronchitis, glucose intolerance and arteriostenosis (81) and abdominal syndromes (upper dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome) (82). A few longitudinal studies also found that comorbidity (80) and some specific diseases were predictive of onset of fatigue, e.g., respiratory symptoms and urinary incontinence (15) and infections (common cold, flu-like illness, gastroenteritis) (71).…”

“…Several other studies have reported higher prevalences of fatigue in women than in men (4,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). A cross-sectional Danish population study in a random age-stratified sample of 16-77-year-old persons showed that, on average, there was not much difference in fatigue between men and women, but that there was an excess of women among persons with very high levels of fatigue (17).…”

“…Two cross-sectional studies show that older persons who report fatigue have significantly less good physical performance (61,62), slower walking speed, and more mobility-and IADL-disability (62). A few longitudinal studies show that participants with fatigue have more restricted activity at 1½ year follow-up (63), poorer physical function, ADL and slower gait speed at 3-year follow-up (64), increased healthcare utilization and mortality (15), and higher risk of mortality during 10-year follow-up (65).…”

“…Regarding social relations, it has been shown that lack of partnership is related to general fatigue (21) and that social disengagement was significantly associated with persistent fatigue and developing fatigue over a period of 18 months (15). In a qualitative study, Aaronson et al (5) showed that most participants believed social support alleviates or prevents fatigue by providing instrumental aid and/or a listening ear.…”