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. 2007;14(3):173-80.
doi: 10.1007/BF03000189.

Subjective health and illness, coping and life satisfaction in an 80-year-old Swedish population-implications for mortality

Ingela Steij Stålbrand  1 , Torbjörn Svensson, Sölve Elmståhl, Vibeke Horstmann, Bo Hagberg, Ove Dehlin, Gillis Samuelsson
Affiliations

Subjective health and illness, coping and life satisfaction in an 80-year-old Swedish population-implications for mortality

Ingela Steij Stålbrand et al. Int J Behav Med. 2007.

Abstract

Background: Multimorbidity and illness will become more common due to increased life expectancy.

Purpose: This study describes various combinations of diseases and symptoms and explores implications for mortality in a sample of 80-year-olds followed up to 95 years of age. Furthermore, reported subjective health, coping, and life satisfaction is explored.

Method: 212 persons, born in 1908, were classified into four groups based on their number of diseases and reported symptoms according to a health examination at the age of 80. These groups were compared regarding standardized measurements of subjective health, depression, coping, life satisfaction, and mortality.

Results: The mortality risks, the hazard ratios, were of the same magnitude, 1.8-2.2, whether the persons experienced several symptoms, had several diseases, or a combination of several symptoms and several diseases when compared to the healthy group of respondents.

Conclusion: The experience of subjective signs of illness carries the same mortality risks as diseases.

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