Studying Function Across the Life Course

Question 1

List the five common measures of function with examples.

Answer 1

• Cardio-metabolic function, e.g. blood pressure, fasting
  blood glucose levels.
• Lung function, e.g. FEV1, FVC.
• Musculoskeletal function, e.g. grip strength, walking
  speed.
• Cognitive function, e.g. verbal memory, search speed.
• Psychological function, e.g. GHQ-28, WEMWBS.

Question 2

List five benefits of studying function.

Answer 2

• Enables study of variation within a population across
  the full range
• Allows identification of high risk sub-groups & also those
  doing most well
• More dynamic than mortality or disease end-points (can
  study recovery as well as loss)
• Analyses have more statistical power
• Do not need to wait for disease or disability to occur to
  distinguish groups with different health prospects

Question 3

What is the general trajectory of functional measures?

Answer 3

Functions increase in early life, plateau in early to mid
adulthood and then decline in later life. Decline starts quite early in most of these functions.

Question 4

List four features that may cause the functional trajectory to vary.

Answer 4

• Rate of development
• Level of peak achieved
• Timing of onset of decline
• Rate of decline

Question 5

How do we collect data to test these models?