HEALTH-STATUS AND DISABILITY AMONG ELDERLY PEOPLE IN 3 UK DISTRICTS

Aim: to obtain population data on health status and disability of elde rly people which may help in planning and maintaining services and be used as comparators for research. Method: random samples of people age d 70 and over were interviewed in their own homes in West Glamorgan, D udley and North Staffordshire. The interviews included standardized as sessments of health status (SF-36), disability (Barthel index) and cog nitive function (Abbreviated Mental Test). Results: 1608 interviews we re completed. Response rates varied between 66 and 84%. Age and sex ad justed scores for five of the eight parameters of the SF-36 and the Ba rthel score differed significantly between districts. Conclusions: loc al studies are required to provide appropriate normative data for each area. In the absence of such studies, the data in this paper are the best currently available.