Dubbo study of the elderly: sociological and cardiovascular risk factors at entry.

A prospective study of elderly Australians commenced in 1988 in Dubbo, NSW. Its goals are to identify predictors of mortality, hospitalisation and placement in long-term care, with special focus on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The study population were non-institutionalised subjects, comprising 1237 males and 1568 females 60 years and over. This report describes the baseline findings: demographic, educational and economic data; tobacco and alcohol usage, self-medication and other habits; medical contacts and past diagnosis; prescribed medication and in study diagnosis; psychosocial variables, functional health and social support; blood lipid and lipoprotein data; blood pressure, spirometry and glucose data; heights and weights. Where comparison has been feasible, the findings in Dubbo closely resemble those obtained from the rest of Australia. The findings presented provide the basis for aetiological studies of future outcomes.