A First-year Cohort Study based on Health Behaviors of Older Adults in an Urban City: Gender and Age Differences.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify gender and age differences in health status and health behaviors of community-dwelling older adults in an urban city. Methods: A convenience sample of 500 older people were recruited. Participants completed eight study instruments by face to face interview. The instruments were the Korea Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (K-IADL), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Body Mass Index (BMI), Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form, Stanford Research Instruments for Chronic Disease, Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea version, EuroQol-5 Dimensions scale (EQ-5D), and the Study of Osteoporotic Fracture Frailty Index. Results: 71.6% were females and mean age of all participants was 74.4 years. Participants were divided into three age groups: 60 to 74 years (n=263, 52.6%), 75 to 84 years (n=207, 41.4%), and ≥85 years (n=30, 6.0%). Significant gender differences were found in educational level, marital status, family type, religion, perceived economic status, K-IADL, SPPB, grip strength, BMI, fatigue, smoking, drinking, communication with physicians and nurses, and EQ-5D. There were significant differences among the three age groups on educational level, marital status, family type, SPPB, grip strength, regular health check-up, communication with physicians and nurses, and frailty. Conclusion: Gender difference should be taken into consideration more than age when policy and preventive programs for community-dwelling older adults in an urban city is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]