Social Support,Household Composition,and Health Behaviors as Risk Factors for Four-Year Mortality in an Urban Elderly Cohort

Abstract

Predictors of mortality were examined by secondary analysis of a prospective, community-based study. In 1984, there were 805 survivors, aged 74 and over, from an original 1975 sample. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 547 of these survivors, representing a response rate of 68%. In 1988, data were collected on deaths (N = 131) that occurred during a 4-yearfollow-up period, 1984 through December 31, 1988. The relationship between social support, household composition, health behaviors, and mortality among urban elderly was examined. A 95% confidence interval (CI) was established to provide a range that would contain (95 times in 100) the true population relative risk. Results revealed that men who reported no exercise were 3.1 times (95% CI = 1.2-7.9) more likely to die than men who reported exercise. Also, elderly women who reported living with children were 2.8 times (95% CI = 1.4-5.7) more likely to die than women who did not live with their adult children.

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