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New Series of Reports to Monitor Health of Older Americans The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health
Statistics (NCHS) has developed a new series of reports to focus attention on
some of the most important health issues facing today's generation of older
Americans. Aging Trends, produced with support from the National Institute on
Aging, uses data from a variety of sources to help monitor the health and
well-being of the older population. The first four reports in this new series
include Trends in Causes of Death Among the Elderly, Trends in Vision and
Hearing Among Older Americans, The Oral Health of Older Americans, and The
Changing Profile of Nursing Home Residents: 1985-1997. Each report identifies
opportunities for prevention and further research, describes those most at risk,
and points to areas where increased use of existing services and aids would be
beneficial. Highlights
of the first issues: DEATH AMONG THE ELDERLY ·
Since 1990 life
expectancy in the United States has dramatically increased. At the turn of the
century, less than half of all Americans lived past age 65; today over 80
percent of Americans can expect to do so. ·
The leading causes of
death are heart disease, cancer, and stroke, accounting for 60 percent of all
deaths. Other chronic diseases also rank high as causes of death, including
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and pneumonia and influenza. ·
Biomedical breakthroughs,
public health initiatives, and social changes may reduce mortality further and
increase the length of life. VISION AND HEARING ·
About one-fifth of people
aged 70 years and over have visual impairments. Visual impairment is an
important cause of activity limitation and disability and puts older Americans
at greater risk of falls and other injuries. ·
The four main causes of
visual impairment are cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and
diabetic retinopathy. There is effective treatment for cataracts and both
glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy can be treated and their progression slowed
with early detection. Treatment is not available for most cases of macular
degeneration, and by the year 2030, it is expected that macular degeneration
will cause more blindness in the U.S. than glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy
combined. ·
Glaucoma is twice as
common among the black than the white older population and has doubled for
African Americans since the 1980s. Age-related macular degeneration is more
common in women than in men and in the white than the black older population.
All visual impairments increase with age. ·
A third of older
Americans are hearing impaired. About one-quarter of those 70-74 years of age
have hearing problems but this increased to half by age 85. Older men at all
ages were more likely than women to be hearing impaired. ·
Older people were less
likely to have their hearing tested and use hearing aids than they were to have
their eyes checked and wear glasses. ORAL HEALTH ·
More older people are
keeping their natural teeth than ever before. However, among those aged 65 years
and over there are sharp differences by income, with those in poverty twice as
likely as those with higher incomes to have lost all their teeth. ·
Many older Americans take
medications for chronic conditions that have side effects detrimental to their
oral health. These include antihistamines, diuretics, and antidepressants. ·
One-third of adults aged
65 years and over have untreated dental caries; slightly over 40 percent have
periodontal disease. ·
Only 22 percent of older
persons are covered by dental insurance; most elderly dental expenses are paid
out-of-pocket. The Oral
Health of Older Americans. Aging Trends No. 3.
8 pp. NURSING HOMES ·
Americans are entering
nursing homes at a later age than in the past. Average age on admission is up
from 81 years in 1985 to almost 83 years in 1997. ·
In 1997 nursing home
residents required more assistance with activities such as bathing, dressing,
and eating than a decade ago. ·
Nursing home stays were
shorter in 1997 than a decade earlier, perhaps reflecting more use of home
health care or the use of nursing homes for short-term rehabilitation. ·
At current rates there
would be approximately 3 million residents in nursing homes in the year 2030,
roughly double the number now. Even with the use of alternatives such as home
health care, assisted living, and other arrangements, America will need to
consider not only more nursing home capacity but also community and work changes
that support the family caregiver. This
series of reports is available to view or download without charge from the
interactive data warehouse, "Trends
in Health and Aging." This Web site contains State and national trend
data on risk factors, health status, health care utilization, mortality, and
costs of care for the U.S. population 45 years of age and over. Data on the site
come from the range of CDC/NCHS data systems, the Behavioral Risk Factor
Surveillance System, the Health Care Financing Administration, and the U.S.
Census Bureau. Additional State, regional, and national data on aging are
available in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Surveillance
for Selected Public Health Indicators Affecting Older Adults --- United States.
1999; 48 [8]: 1-156). ·
Trends
in Causes of Death Among the Elderly. Aging Trends No. 1. 8 pp. ·
Trends
in Vision and Hearing Among Older Americans. Aging Trends No. 2. 9 pp. ·
The
Oral Health of Older Americans. Aging Trends No. 3.
8 pp. ·
The
Changing Profile of Nursing Home Residents: 1985-1997. Aging Trends No.
4. 8 pp. Contact:
NCHS/CDC Public Affairs |
