Can health behaviours prolong survival and compress the period of survival with the disability? A population-based cohort study. (23rd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Wei; Xu, Weili; Englund, Simon; Shang, Ying; Pan, Kuan-Yu; Rizzuto, Debora
• Is Part Of: Age and ageing. Volume 50:Number 2(2021)
• Page Start: 480
• Page End: 487
• Publication Date: 2020-07-23
• Subjects: health behaviours -- survival -- compression of disability -- population-based cohort study -- older people; Aging -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afaa143
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-0729

Abstract

Abstract: Background: It remains unclear whether and to what extent health behaviours may prolong survival and compress the period of survival with disability. Objective: To identify modifiable health behaviours that are associated with later disability onset and longer disability-free survival. Design: This population-based cohort study used data from the Swedish National Study on Ageing and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K) ranging between 2001 and 2016. Setting and subjects: A total of 3, 041 disability-free adults aged ≥60 years were followed up to 15 years. Methods: Data on health behaviours were collected at baseline. Information on limitations in activities of daily living was obtained at baseline and during the follow-up. Laplace regression was used to model the median age at death and disability occurrence as a function of health behaviours. Results: Never smoking, moderate alcohol drinking, rich social network and high leisure activity were individually related to longer survival by 1–3 years. Participants with high leisure activity lived 1.6 years (95% CI: 0.9–2.3) more without a disability. After combining lifestyle factors, social network, and leisure activities into a 4-level 'health behaviour profile', people with the healthiest behaviour profile lived 2.8 years (95% CI: 1.3–4.2) longer, had disability 3.5 years (95% CI: 1.7–5.3) later and lived 0.7 years (95% CI, 0.4–1.1) more without a disability compared to those with the least healthy behaviours profile. Conclusions: These findings suggest that health behaviours could prolong the lifespan, and leisure activities may further compress years lived with disability among older adults.