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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Statistics and Probability

2007

Transition Probabilities and Multistate Life Tables

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Weight, Mortality, Years Of Healthy Life, And Active Life Expectancy In Older Adults, Paula Diehr Nov 2007

Weight, Mortality, Years Of Healthy Life, And Active Life Expectancy In Older Adults, Paula Diehr

Paula Diehr

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether weight categories predict subsequent mortality and morbidity in older adults. DESIGN: Multistate life tables, using data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, a longitudinal population-based cohort of older adults. SETTING: Data were provided by community-dwelling seniors in four U.S. counties: Forsyth County, North Carolina; Sacramento County, California; Washington County, Maryland; and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS: Five thousand eight hundred eighty-eight adults aged 65 and older at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: The age- and sex-specific probabilities of transition from one health state to another and from one weight category to another were estimated. From these probabilities, future life expectancy, years …


The Number Of Sick Persons In A Cohort, Paula Diehr Nov 2007

The Number Of Sick Persons In A Cohort, Paula Diehr

Paula Diehr

To see if the number of sick persons in a cohort was approximately constant over time, we calculated the number of sick persons in a “research” cohort of older adults followed for up to 14 years, and also in a synthetic birth cohort. Methods: In the research cohort, we calculated the actual number of persons in each health state over time, using eight different definitions of “sick”. For the birth cohort, we estimated the number of sick persons each year after birth. Results: The number of sick persons in the research cohort was approximately constant for 14 years, for all …


Age-Specific Prevalence And Years Of Healthy Life In A System With 3 Health States, Paula Diehr Sep 2007

Age-Specific Prevalence And Years Of Healthy Life In A System With 3 Health States, Paula Diehr

Paula Diehr

Consider a 3-state system with one absorbing state, such as Healthy, Sick, and Dead. Over time, the prevalence of the Healthy state will approach an 'equilibrium' value that is independent of the initial conditions. We derived this equilibrium prevalence (Prev:Equil) as a function of the local transition probabilities. We then used Prev:Equil to estimate the expected number of years spent in the healthy state over time. This estimate is similar to the one calculated by multi-state life table methods, and has the advantage of having an associated standard error. In longitudinal data for older adults, the standard error was accurate …