Cohort profile: ‘Centenari a Trieste’ (CaT), a study of the health status of centenarians in a small defined area of Italy

Abstract

PurposeCentenarians, a segment of the population which some 50 years ago comprised only a few individuals, now count thousands in many countries, and demographic projections forecast that this growth will continue. The study of this new population will give us new information on extreme longevity and help prepare for their health and social needs. The aim of the Centenari a Trieste study is to describe the health and health service use by centenarians, with specific focus on cognitive status.ParticipantsThis is a population-based study of centenarians living in the province of Trieste (Italy), a small area with a high prevalence of centenarians and a close network of health and social services, which makes it possible to conduct a study. Consenting individuals were visited by a clinician, tested by neuropsychologists and also gave a sample of their blood. Administrative data were retrieved as well.Findings to dateOf the 163 centenarians, 70 could be contacted and participated in the study. The main reasons for non-participation were impossibility to contact the subject (70) and death (20). Centenarians were mostly women (90%), tended to live in a nursing home (60%) and were generally severely functionally impaired (Barthel Index <50: 61%). Data from the administrative database showed that about one out of five needed hospitalisation in the preceding year and more than three out of four had at least one drug prescription.Future plansIn 2017, we started a new wave of the study enrolling people who had just become centenarian and reassessing subjects already seen; we hope to extend this recruitment in the next years. Subjects are now examined also by cardiologists and dental specialists. We are collecting further different biological specimens to investigate new hypotheses on the cognitive function of the centenarians.

Use of healthcare services and assistive devices among centenarians: results of the cross-sectional, international 5-COOP study

“…Apart from in Switzerland, the share of institutionalised centenarians in our sample agreed with the findings of several studies (from 42.1% in Portugal to 53.7% in Canada) 9 10 13 14. However, other works disclosed proportions above 60%, and a study based on European census data revealed considerable geographical variations, with percentages ranging from 10% to 90% 6 15 16. The Swiss exception observed in 5-COOP is consistent with its more substantial proportion of elders living in institutions, as reported in OECD statistics, and matches the greater numbers of staff and long-term care beds found there.…”

“…Disparities exist within countries too, as in Sweden, where municipalities are responsible for organising meals-on-wheels and pursue varying policies 20. In contrast, centenarians’ experiences of acute care hospital stays overnight differed little between countries and were similar to other observations made in Europe, Canada and Australia (ranging from 10.9% to 22.1%) 6 10 14 15. Studies conducted in England and the USA have revealed annual hospital admission rates for centenarians superior to 50%, suggesting that all the 5-COOP countries had low hospitalisation rates by international standards 21 22.…”

“…Centenarians offer a spectacular demonstration of this phenomenon: estimated to be less than half a million worldwide in 2015, they are expected to exceed 21 million in 2100 1 3. Consequently, the last few decades have seen a growing number of centenarian studies , with diverse purposes and methods 4–6…”

COVID-19 mortality in Lombardy: the vulnerability of the oldest old and the resilience of male centenarians

“…The protocol of the CaT study to obtain, after informed consent, demographic, anamnestic, clinical and lifestyle data from the subjects enrolled in the study was already published [ 36 ] .…”

Object-Based Practice Effects Recover the Graphic Object Concept in Alzheimer’s Dementia

“…The study was carried out in Trieste, Italy, which has a large population showing longevity (Tettamanti & Marcon, 2018). In Italy, a National Health System exists with autonomous local health authorities (LHAs).…”