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Original ArticleOpen Access
Dependence and Active Life Expectancy of the Elderly Population Living in the Central Region of Thailand
Jitapunkul S 
,
Krungkraipetch N ,
Kamolratanakul P ,
Dhanamun B
,
Krungkraipetch N ,
Kamolratanakul P ,
Dhanamun B NISAKORN KRUNGKRAIPETCH, M.Sc.
**,
BODI DHANAMUN, M.D.***
Objective
: To determine the prevalence and the independent socio-economic factors with
respect to the dependence status of the Thai elderly population living in the central region and to
calculate the active life expectancy (ALE) based on the results of this survey and abridged life
tables for Thailand.
Design
: A cross-sectional mulitistage random sampling survey.
Setting
: Communities in the central region, Thailand.
Subjects
: 723 elderly subjects.
Results
: Mean age and its standard deviation (SD) of the 723 recruited subjects were
69.9 and 7.3 years, respectively. Forty three per cent of the subjects were men. Mean values
(SD) of the BAI score and the CAl score were 18.78 (2.6) and 6.47 (2.4), respectively. Except for
housework, elderly women had a higher prevalence rate of dependence on activities of daily living
(ADL) compared with elderly men. Seven univariate factors of the BAI and the CAl were
demonstrated. According to the multiple linear regression analysis by entering all univariate
factors of the BAI and the CAl except "working status", independent factors of both the BAI
(adjusted R
2 =
0.051) and the CAl (adjusted R
2
=
0.146) were age, sex and writing ability. The
prevalence rate (95% confidence interval) of dependence regarding self-care activities of daily
living was 5.9 per cent (4.2-7.6%). The rate of dependence increased with age. The female
elderly were more dependent on self care than their male counterparts. Although the elderly
women live longer than the elderly men, they spend more years in a severely dependent state.
Findings on ratios between health and life expectancy demonstrate that Thai men spend more
proportional time leading a healthy life than Thai women.
Conclusion
: Prevalence rates of dependence regarding activities of daily living among
the Thai elderly living in the Central region were rather high showing the health of elderly
women to be worse than that of elderly men. The elderly women spend more years in a severely
dependent state although they live longer than the elderly men.
350
**,
BODI DHANAMUN, M.D.***
Objective
: To determine the prevalence and the independent socio-economic factors with
respect to the dependence status of the Thai elderly population living in the central region and to
calculate the active life expectancy (ALE) based on the results of this survey and abridged life
tables for Thailand.
Design
: A cross-sectional mulitistage random sampling survey.
Setting
: Communities in the central region, Thailand.
Subjects
: 723 elderly subjects.
Results
: Mean age and its standard deviation (SD) of the 723 recruited subjects were
69.9 and 7.3 years, respectively. Forty three per cent of the subjects were men. Mean values
(SD) of the BAI score and the CAl score were 18.78 (2.6) and 6.47 (2.4), respectively. Except for
housework, elderly women had a higher prevalence rate of dependence on activities of daily living
(ADL) compared with elderly men. Seven univariate factors of the BAI and the CAl were
demonstrated. According to the multiple linear regression analysis by entering all univariate
factors of the BAI and the CAl except "working status", independent factors of both the BAI
(adjusted R
2 =
0.051) and the CAl (adjusted R
2
=
0.146) were age, sex and writing ability. The
prevalence rate (95% confidence interval) of dependence regarding self-care activities of daily
living was 5.9 per cent (4.2-7.6%). The rate of dependence increased with age. The female
elderly were more dependent on self care than their male counterparts. Although the elderly
women live longer than the elderly men, they spend more years in a severely dependent state.
Findings on ratios between health and life expectancy demonstrate that Thai men spend more
proportional time leading a healthy life than Thai women.
Conclusion
: Prevalence rates of dependence regarding activities of daily living among
the Thai elderly living in the Central region were rather high showing the health of elderly
women to be worse than that of elderly men. The elderly women spend more years in a severely
dependent state although they live longer than the elderly men.
350
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