The Women's Health and Aging Study II (WHAS II), is a prospective, observational study of a cohort of women between 70 and 79 years of age at baseline, to determine the characteristics of early functional decline, termed """"""""preclinical disability,"""""""" the risk factors and underlying causes of preclinical disability, and whether early decrements in physical functioning are predictive of future disability. The OPD-GCRC permits multi-disciplinary evaluations in sequential examination rooms with the support of trained OPD-GCRC research assistants and medical personnel. The evaluation includes the following: self-report of physical functioning; performance-based measures of function; and standardized evaluation of physiologic factors, including spirometry, ankle-arm blood pressure and graded exercise testing. In addition, hypothesized modifiers of the relationship between disease and disability are assessed, including use of compensatory strategies, cognitive impairment, psychosocial function, social supports, and the individual's home environment. To determine whether individuals progress to preclinical disability before disability and whether preclinical disability is a transitional state from which individuals may improve, the change in functional status of participants is being assessed at baseline and at 18- and 36month follow-up evaluations (Rounds 1, 2 and 3, respectively). In February, 1996, baseline recruitment of 436 participants was completed, with 28 participants enrolled during this report period. All participants are female, ranging in age from 70 to 79 years at entry, with a mean age of 74.5 years; 81% are white, 18% black, and 1% other. Round 2 evaluations began in March, 1996. During this report period, we mailed result reports to participants and their physicians within six weeks of their clinic visit. We completed 9-month follow-up telephone interviews with 427 participants (98%), 280 during this report period. To date we have completed forty 27-month follow-up telephone interviews beginning in November, 1996. We conducted medical surveillance and abstraction of medical records to verify presence of disease within the study population. In this effort, questionnaires were mailed to participant physicians; 264 questionnaires have been returned by mail and 58 medical records have been abstracted. Baseline data cleaning and preliminary analysis was begun during this report period. We have hired, trained and certified additional staff members, as well as trained for home visit evaluations. Currently home visits are being offered to participants who are unable to return to Johns Hopkins due to health or non-health reasons.
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