As the population of the U.S. ages and increases in life expectancy continue, the length of time between onset of disease and death may expand or contract. The economic consequences of such expansion or compression of morbidity could be significant. A research program is proposed which seeks to: 1) measure the health care resource use of older adults; 2) estimate the relationship of health care resource use to morbidity and disability in older adults; 3) model the impact that expansion or compression of morbidity would have on population-based expenditures for health care of older adults; 4) investigate and model the economic impact of interventions designed to prevent disease and disability in older adults. The candidate for this award has a research background and experience in: 1) health care economics and financing including measurement of the direct costs of illness in prospective observational studies, 2) multi- disciplinary research of health care interventions and 3) recent experience in evaluating the impact of diseases of older adults. The initial focus of this research program will be on cardiovascular disease in older adults, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Methods of estimating and modeling health care resource in older adults with cardiovascular disease will subsequently be modified and applied to other significant diseases/conditions in older adults.
