Is There Successful Aging for Nonagenarians? The Vitality 90+ Study
Table 2
Frequency (%) of the variables composing three components of successful aging in men and women.
Variables
Men ( = 226–238) %
Women ( = 1006–1038) %
value
All ( = 1227–1283) %
Physical component
No heart problem
42.4
47.1
0.192
46.2
No stroke
96.2
94.4
0.250
94.7
No circulatory problems in brain
78.6
79.3
0.798
79.2
No diabetes
85.7
88.8
0.178
88.2
No arthritis
69.7
54.3
<0.001
57.2
No Parkinson’s disease
99.6
98.3
0.148
98.6
No hip fracture
89.2
81.3
0.003
82.8
No dementia
66.4
59.2
0.033
60.6
No disease
14.7
10.2
0.045
11.0
2 or less diseases with no dementia
39.5
29.8
0.004
31.6
Able to see
72.8
59.9
<0.001
62.3
Able to hear
68.1
71.5
0.299
70.9
Able to see and hear
53.2
48.2
0.170
49.2
Independent in five activities
58.3
34.9
<0.001
39.2
Independent in 3 easier activities
83.0
72.5
<0.001
74.5
Criterion 1*
7.7
4.8
<0.001
5.3
Criterion 2*
28.3
26.1
0.500
26.5
Criterion 3*
24.8
19.1
0.050
20.2
Criterion 4*
33.9
23.2
<0.001
25.2
Psychological
No depressiveness
87.8
79.6
0.004
81.2
Self-rated health average or good
72.3
61.4
0.002
63.4
Willing to live up to 100 years
42.4
24.8
<0.001
28.1
Psychological component
34.0
16.7
<0.001
20.0
Social engagement
Met children during past 2 weeks
92.7
93.5
0.644
93.4
Phone contacts
84.6
79.4
0.070
80.4
Social component
78.8
74.4
0.166
75.2
*Criterions. Criterion 1: No disease, and able to hear and read, and independent in all five activities. Criterion 2: Less than 3 diseases, no dementia, able to hear and read, and independent in three easier activities. Criterion 3: No dementia, able to hear and read, and independent in 5 activities. Criterion 4: Able to hear and read, independent in 5 activities.
