• Marie-Josée J Mangen, Marieke Bolkenbaas, Susanne M Huijts, Cornelis H van Werkhoven, Marc J M Bonten, and G Ardine de Wit.
• Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Str 6.131 room 7.115, Heidelberglaan 100, Utrecht, 3584, CX, The Netherlands. m.j.j.mangen@umcutrecht.nl.
• Health Qual Life Out. 2017 Jan 6; 15 (1): 3.

BackgroundWe aimed to evaluate health status and associated factors in community-dwelling elderly in the Netherlands.MethodsParticipants from a placebo-controlled double-blind randomized controlled trial conducted in the Netherlands were invited at the time of enrolment to participate in this study. Data were collected on comorbidities, socio-demographic background and health status, using EQ-5D-3L instrument. EQ-5D-3L summary index values (EQ-5D-indices) was derived using Dutch tariff. Regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with EQ-5D-indices and visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS).Results48,634 elderly (≥65 years) were included. The most frequently reported complaint was pain/discomfort (29.4%), but for the elder elderly (i.e. ≥85 years) it was mobility (52.9%). The proportion of persons reporting (multiple) problems increased with age from 31.5% for 65-69 years old subjects to 65.9% for elder elderly. The mean EQ-5D-indices and EQ-VAS decreased with age from 0.94 and 84, respectively in those 65 to 69 years old to 0.86 and 76, respectively, in ≥85 years old subjects. Increasing age, female gender, low education, geographic factors and comorbidities were associated with impaired health status.ConclusionsWithin community-dwelling elderly large differences in health status exist. Impairment increases rapidly with age, but health status is also associated with socio-demographic variables and comorbidities.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00812084 .

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