THE JOHANNEBERG STUDY - A SOCIOMEDICAL SURVEY IN AN URBAN ELDERLY POPULATION

This study is the Swedish part of a world-wide transcultural and inter disciplinary study in elderly populations which addresses food habits, health and life-style. The aim of this paper is to present the genera l design including an analysis of non-response, and to identify risk-g roups for intervention programmes. The study comprised 217 noninstitut ionalized males (n = 73) and females (n = 144), aged 70 and over (mean age 78 years) in a small urban area. Home visits and clinical examina tions with standard methods were used. The participation rate was 76%. Significant differences between non-respondents and respondents could be seen, which may be important when planning health promotion. On th e basis of experience during the examinations, a risk-group was identi fied for prospective and intervention study purpose, based on a multip le variable model and a clinical model.