Physical health indexes and mortality in a 70 to 75 year old Italian population living at home: A 6 year follow-up study.

The aim of this 6 year follow-up study is to analyze the role of physical health indicators in predicting mortality. The data used were obtained from a multidimensional survey on a wide population of 70 to 75 year old subjects living at home. Baseline self-reported physical health information regarding the use of medical health services, diagnoses, and medications was collected. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to define the multivariate association with mortality of the baseline presence of the diseases or of medications used while adjusting for sex and IADL score. The number of diseases and medications related to mortality, and the medical services use index were entered together in the same statistical model to assess which of these factors had a preeminent role in predicting mortality. Indicators such as medications and medical services use were more important mortality predictors than the diagnosis itself. A significant interaction of the variables with gender was also found.