Characteristics of health-related factors among the elderly living alone in A town of Hokkaido.

Abstract

We conducted a cross-sectional study on characteristics of health-related factors among the elderly living alone in A town of Hokkaido, and we also examined risk of mortality or institutionalization among them, as compared with the elderly living with someone. A self-administrated questionnaire was returned with a written informed consent from 375 participants (66.1%) among 567 potential candidates aged 70 to 79 years old in 2013, and these participants were prospectively followed-up twice in 2014 and 2015. For the women living alone, a proportion of experience in hospital attendance in the past year was significantly smaller (P=0.028), a proportion of lean body statue was significantly larger (P=0.028), and a proportion of having own residence was significantly smaller (P<0.001). For the men living alone, a proportion of having a family doctor was significantly smaller (P=0.041). Risk of mortality or institutionalization was not different between the participants living alone and living with someone. It is thought that supporting system for the elderly living alone might be necessary regarding better nutritional status as well as hospital attendance.journal articl