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The 2000 health survey for England: the health of older people

  • Published date:
    24 January 2002

Statistical Press Release

National statistics on the health of older people in England are published today.

The 2000 Health Survey for England interviewed over 2,400 people living in care homes, and over 1,600 in private households, all aged 65 and over.

The 2000 survey of older people included questions on cognitive functioning, general health, longstanding illness, health behaviours, use of health services, disabilities and psychosocial well-being.

Among the key findings are:

Characteristics of care home residents

  • Of all those aged 65 and over, 4% were resident in care homes, a percentage similar to that shown in the 1991 Census. From age 65 onwards, women were more likely than men to have entered a care home: just over three-quarters of residents in care homes were women, compared to 57% of those aged 65 and over in private households.
  • Around three in ten residents in care homes had been in the home for less than a year, while a fifth of residents had been living in the home for five years or more. Two-thirds of permanent admissions to care homes were from private households and 14% were from hospital. Women were more likely than men to have been living alone before admission.
  • The proportion of men and women eating fruit and red meat six or more times a week in care homes was about half that in private households.
  • Those in care homes had a lower body mass index than older people in private households. This is reflected in higher proportions underweight in the care homes population.
  • The prevalence of anaemia was on average two and a half times higher in care homes than in private households. 44% of men in care homes were anaemic compared with 16% in private households. Among women, the prevalence of anaemia was 29% and 11%, respectively.

Disability among older people

  • Men and women in care homes were much more likely than those in private households to have a severe disability. Overall, three in four of all residents in care homes were severely disabled. Severe disability rates were highest in nursing homes (91%), with successively lower rates for dual registered (85%) and residential homes (c. 70%).
  • The most common type of disability reported for both men and women aged 65 and over was locomotor disability (walking and using stairs). This was true both in care homes, where 76% of men and 81% of women reported a locomotor disability, and in private households (30% of men, 33% of women). For all types of disability the prevalence was significantly higher in care homes than in private households.
  • When asked about the cause of their disability, in care homes senile dementia was the most commonly reported cause of disability (23%), while among informants in private households the most commonly reported cause was 'arthritis (non rheumatoid) and rheumatism' (27%).

General health and health care utilisation

  • Overall levels of self-assessed general health did not differ greatly between care homes and private households, but people in care homes had a higher prevalence of longstanding illness (84% for men and 82% for women) than those in private households (69% for men and 70% for women).
  • While 1 in 7 informants in private households reported that they had been hospital inpatients in the last year, in care homes the proportion rose to 1 in 4 informants.

Psychosocial well-being

  • 95% of those tested in private households showed no signs of cognitive impairment, compared to half (49%) of those who were tested in care homes. 2% of people in private households and a third (33%) of those tested in care homes showed signs of severe impairment. Those aged 80 or over were most likely to show signs of cognitive impairment.
  • 64% of people in care homes were visited by their relatives or friends at least once a week, compared with 81% in private households. The corresponding proportions suffering severe lack of social support (no contact) were also higher for residents in care homes than in private households (7% and 3%, respectively).

Social Capital and Health

In addition to the reports on the health of older people, a report on social capital and health among adults in private households is also published today. The report examines relationships between five measures of social capital (social support, trust, participation in organised groups, neighbourhood problems and ease of access to services) and the following health variables: self-assessed general and mental health, smoking status and Body Mass Index (BMI).

There were significant relationships with some of the health variables, notably perceived social support and trust (in people in general) with self-assessed health and mental health, and lack of participation in organised groups with cigarette smoking. These effects were found after controlling for socio-economic status.

For mental health and cigarette smoking, measures of social capital were as good predictors as income was (income being the strongest predictor among the socio-economic variables). Income was a stronger predictor of self-assessed health than social capital measures were.

Neighbourhood problems and ease of access to services did not show any relationships with any of the health variables once other factors were taken into consideration, and none of the measures of social capital related to BMI.

Notes to editor

1. The Health Survey for England is a series of annual surveys about the health of people in England. It was commissioned by the Department of Health to provide better and more reliable information about various aspects of people's health. The survey combines questionnaire-based interviews with physical measurements and the analysis of blood samples. Blood pressure, height and weight, smoking, drinking, general health, and use of services are covered every year. Each year's survey also has a particular focus on a disease or condition or population group. The 2000 survey focused on the health of people aged 65+ and included a special sample of care home residents, including nursing and residential care homes.

2. The Health Survey for England is carried out by the Joint Health Surveys Unit of the National Centre for Social Research and the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Royal Free and University College Medical School, London.

3. Detailed findings are available in the following reports:

  • Falaschetti E, Malbut K, Primatesta P.Health Survey for England 2000: The general health of older people and their use of health services.The Stationery Office, London, 2002;
  • Hirani V and Malbut K.Health Survey for England 2000: Disability among older people.The Stationery Office, London, 2002;
  • Tait C and Fuller E.Health Survey for England 2000: Psychosocial well-being among older people.The Stationery Office, London, 2002;
  • Bajekal M.Health Survey for England 2000: Characteristics of care homes and their residents.The Stationery Office, London, 2002;
  • Boreham R, Stafford M and Taylor R.Health Survey for England 2000: Social capital and health.The Stationery Office, London, 2002;
  • Prior G, Teers R, Brookes M and Primatesta P.Health Survey for England 2000: Methodology and documentation. The Stationery Office, London, 2002.

4. First release figures from the 2000 survey were published on 29 June 2001. These figures provided an initial focus on comparisons between care home and general population residents. The tables for these figures can be accessed on the Department of Health website.

5. Copies of all the reports of the 2000 survey, including a summary of the reports on the health of older people, can be accessed on the Department of Health website.

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