EXERCISE, DISABILITY, OSTEOARTHRITIS AND COSTS

描述：（改编自研究者摘要）身体残疾是 老年人最普遍的主要健康问题，以及相关的 对医疗服务的需求很大。然而，虽然风险的纵向研究 心血管疾病的因素已经确定了主要的可改变的风险 这些因素，并导致了减少发病率和死亡率的战略， 这种对肌肉骨骼疾病的研究仍处于起步阶段。这20年 1984年对961名平均年龄为58岁的人进行了纵向研究 将于2004年达到78岁，将（1）确定身体健康的风险因素， 残疾、放射性骨关节炎和相关医疗服务的使用， (2)评估运动和其他风险因素的累积变化 终身残疾和累积医疗保健利用率随时间的变化，以及（3） 建立骨折危险因素模型。物理的作用 特别强调锻炼。调查人员将评估 残疾，残疾的进展，和风险因素模型在少数民族， 而非西班牙裔的人口主要是白色人。调查人员 声明，该项目是由广泛的以前的工作和独特的数据， 集他们指出，该申请将他们的调查范围扩大到 累积发病率和成本、成本分析等重要新问题 长期残疾和成本结果，少数群体的风险因素 危险因素状况的变化对残疾的影响， 成本和死亡率结果。该申请建议继续数据 第八和第九个十年的收购，年龄时，这一队列将 经历最大程度的残疾，健康状况下降， 保健服务调查人员表示，结果将表明公众 旨在减少终生发病率和医疗保健的政策倡议 通过减少可改变的风险因素的预防机制降低成本。他们 进一步说明，项目的总体目标是了解如何 运动和其他危险因素状态的改善可能会延迟功能性 减少和减少对医疗服务的需求。

DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from Investigator's Abstract) Physical disability is the most prevalent major health problem of aging populations, and the associated needs for medical services are large. Yet, while longitudinal studies of risk factors for cardiovascular disease have identified major modifiable risk factors and have led to strategies for reduction of morbidity and mortality, such studies in musculoskeletal disease remain in their infancy. This 20 year longitudinal study of 961 individuals studied from an average age of 58 in 1984 and due to reach age 78 in 2004 will (1) identify risk factors for physical disability, radiologic osteoarthritis, and associated use of medical services, (2) assess changes in exercise and other risk factors in terms of cumulative lifetime disability and cumulative health care utilization over time, and (3) establish risk factor models for osteoporotic fractures. The role of physical exercise is particularly emphasized. The investigators will assess development of disability, progression of disability, and risk factor models in minority as compared with predominately white non-Hispanic populations. The investigators state that this project is enabled by extensive previous work and a unique data set. They point out that the application extends their investigations into important new questions of cumulative morbidity and costs, analysis of costs and benefits, long-term disability and cost outcomes, risk factors in minority populations, and effects of changes in risk factor status upon disability, cost, and mortality outcomes. The application proposes to continue data acquisition into the eighth and ninth decades, the age when this cohort will experience the greatest degrees of disability, decline in health, and use of health services. The investigators state that the results will suggest public policy initiatives directed at decreasing lifetime morbidity and medical care costs through preventive mechanisms which reduce modifiable risk factors. They further state that the overall project objective is to understand how improvements in exercise and other risk factor status may retard functional decline and reduce the need for medical care.