Italian National Research Council

Targeted Project on Ageing

Research Unit Director: GRIGOLETTO Francesco

Address: Istituto di Igiene - Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia Università - Padova
Via L. Loredan, 18 - 35131 - Padova
tel.: 049-8275403/8275381/8275397 - fax: 049-8275392
E-mail: grigo@unipad.unipd.it

Scientific informations

Subproject

2

Italian Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Title of research

Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (I.L.S.A.): development of data collection methodology and analysis techniques

Keywords
Epidemiology	Longitudinal study	Aging	Chronic diseases

Aims

The coordinating center of the ILSA study pursues the following goals:

1) set up of a high quality data base, through a specific software, on different aspects of the aging process;

2) calculate measures of spread of both internistic and neurologic pathologies;

3) identify indicators in order to measure risk factors related to the investigated diseases.
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Scientific activity

In order to input the data, a data base has been devoped (CLINICS).

The quality control has been done with programs elaborated with SAS.

Tha statistical analysis aimed to study the spread of the diseases and related risk factors, has been based on parametric and non parametric techniques. The possible association between variables has been evaluated with linear and logistic models.

Scientific results

Main results obtained by the ILSA study:

1) Age and sex-specific prevalence rates of myocardial infarction, angina, arrythmia, congestive heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, dementia, parkinsonism and distal symmetric neuropathy of lower limbs.

2) Prevalence rates of underreporting, measured as the rate of subjects with a clinical diagnosis but non reported in the interview. Such a analysis shows how the accuracy of self-reported information is not satisfactory and often underestimates the true prevalence rates.

3) Prevalence rates of overreporting, mesured as the rates of subjects who reported the disease but not lately confirmed by the specialist. In the elderly population the rates of the underreporting and overreporting pathologies represent a bias which can not be ignored, especially for some specific diseases.

4) Prevalence rates of the disability in ADL (Activities of Daily Living) and in IADL (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living), by sex, age, patology, living status and disability level. These data are of great importance for planning of health services, to evaluate the real need of assistance, and to study those factors that determine the transition from independence to loss of autonomy.