Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Large Type Edition
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bittles, A.H.
Right arrow Articles by Montgomery, P.D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bittles, A.H.
Right arrow Articles by Montgomery, P.D.
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 57:M470-M472 (2002)
© 2002 The Gerontological Society of America

The Influence of Intellectual Disability on Life Expectancy

A.H. Bittlesa,b, B.A. Pettersonc, S.G. Sullivanb, R. Hussaind, E.J. Glassona and P.D. Montgomeryc

a Centre for Health and Ageing, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
b Centre for Human Genetics, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
c Disability Services Commission of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
d School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, Australia.

A.H. Bittles, Centre for Health and Ageing, Edith Cowan University, 100 Joondalup Drive, Perth WA 6027, Australia E-mail: a.bittles{at}ecu.edu.au.

Background. To date, relatively few representative data have been available to health planners and advocacy groups on the life expectancy of people with intellectual disability. A study of trends in the survival profiles of people with intellectual disability was undertaken to assist in the planning of appropriate medical and support services.

Methods. Since 1953, the Disability Services Commission of Western Australia has maintained a database of persons diagnosed with intellectual disability. The database was used to calculate survival probabilities on a total of 8724 individuals, 7562 of whom were still alive at the time of sampling in December 2000.

Results. Kaplan-Meier survival plots showed a strong negative association between severity of intellectual disability and survival, with median life expectancies of 74.0, 67.6, and 58.6 years for people with mild, moderate, and severe levels of handicap. Significant negative associations also were observed with male gender, Indigenous Australian parentage, and individuals diagnosed with a specific genetic disorder.

Conclusions. The findings indicate a major and expanding increase in the service requirements of this aging, intellectually disabled population during the past two generations.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Eur J Public HealthHome page
A. H. Bittles, C. Bower, R. Hussain, and E. J. Glasson
The four ages of Down syndrome
Eur J Public Health, April 1, 2007; 17(2): 221 - 225.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
L. Feuchtbaum and G. Cunningham
Economic Evaluation of Tandem Mass Spectrometry Screening in California
Pediatrics, May 1, 2006; 117(5/S1): S280 - S286.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci.Home page
W. A. Banks and J. E. Morley
Memories Are Made of This: Recent Advances in Understanding Cognitive Impairments and Dementia
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., April 1, 2003; 58(4): M314 - 321.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
All GSA journals The Gerontologist
Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Copyright © 2002 by The Gerontological Society of America.