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Is lifestyle influencing morbidity among elderly?
Authors: Mutharayappa R ; Bhat TN
Source: Journal of Health Management, 2008 May-Aug; 10(2): 203-17 (26 ref)
Topic(s): Aging
Alcohol consumption
Elderly
Morbidity
Country: Asia
  India
Published: NOV 2008
Abstract: The main focus of the article was to examine the type of lifestyle adopted by the elderly and its effects on their health conditions and this was based on the data available from the National Family Health Survey-2 (NFHS-2). The study found that lifestyle adversely affected health and increased morbidity conditions among the elderly. Lifestyles such as alcohol consumption, regular smoking and tobacco chewing had adverse effects on one's ability to control diseases. It was observed that asthma was higher among the elderly who smoked regularly, consumed alcohol and chewed tobacco. About 144 persons per 1,000 population who consumed alcohol were suffering from asthma. Similarly, 143 persons who smoked regularly and 97 persons who chewed tobacco were suffering from asthma. Though TB was related to the lifestyle of a person, it was less among tobacco chewers and alcohol drinkers, but it was higher among those who smoked regularly. Smoking led to higher Illness Prevalence Rate (IPR). The IPRs of smokers and non-smokers by age group showed that in every age group, smokers had higher IPR than the non-smokers. The increase in prevalence of illness among smokers was particularly high in the case of the elderly. Old people were also generally susceptible to various cardiovascular disorders and other extraneous factors such as consumption of alcohol and tobacco chewing. The elderly morbidity due to alcohol abuse was 8.6 per cent.