Sep 19, 2021 22:00:00

Research results show that not only lifestyle habits but also 'where you live' has a great effect on your lifespan.

Previous studies

have shown that various factors such as lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and smoking are associated with an increased risk of death, and pay attention to daily exercise and diet to live longer. There should be many people. However, a longitudinal study of millions of elderly people found that not only how they live, but also 'where they live' has a significant impact on their lifespan.

Place-Based Drivers of Mortality: Evidence from Migration --American Economic Association
https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.20190825

Comparing seniors who relocate long-distance shows where you live affects your longevity | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
https://news.mit.edu/2021/seniors-relocate-longevity-0901

Research teams at Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are looking at how 'where they live' affects their longevity, apart from the lifestyles people have built over the years, for the elderly and disabled in the United States. Conducted a longitudinal study using data from Medicare , a public medical insurance system. We surveyed 6.3 million elderly people aged 65 to 99 in the United States from 1999 to 2014 on their relocation history and mortality rate.

The United States Census Bureau divides the entire United States into nearly 700 ' commuting zones, ' and the research team found that about two million people surveyed were separated from one particular commuting zone during the 15-year survey period. He states that he has moved to the commuting zone.

The research team focused on how much the mortality rate would change if people who originally lived in the same place moved to different places. Amy Finkelstein , co-author of the paper and professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said, 'The idea was, for example, to Minneapolis, where one of the two older people who originally lived in Boston had a low mortality rate. , The other will move to Boston, where the mortality rate is high, and then compare their lives. '

Of course, older people have different health conditions before they move, but Medicare includes detailed medical billing data billed by the beneficiaries. Based on this data, the research team identified 27 different illnesses and health conditions in the elderly, such as lung cancer, diabetes, and depression, and applied them to a standard mortality risk model to determine the health status of the elderly when they moved. Was classified. In addition, adjustments were made in consideration of the health capital level based on the lifestyle of the residents at the new location and changes in health conditions associated with the move, and the impact of the move on life expectancy was estimated.

The analysis found that metropolitan areas on the east and west coasts, such as New York City, San Francisco, and Miami, have a positive effect on the longevity of older people moving there. In addition, some metropolitan areas in the Midwest, including Chicago, have also had a positive impact on the longevity of older people, the researchers report.

Meanwhile, commuting zones in the southern United States, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and northern Florida, have had a negative impact on the longevity of older people moving there. Many other commuting zones in the southwestern United States, such as Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona, have tended to shorten the lifespan of moving elderly people.

According to the research team's analysis, if a 65-year-old elderly person moves from the bottom 10% commuting zone to the top 10% commuting zone, life expectancy will increase by about 1.1 years. In addition, it is estimated that the effect of 'where you live' on the life span of the entire United States is about 15%, Mr. Filkenstein said, 'Health capital is important, but the effect of location is also important.' I am.

Jonathan Skinner , a professor of economics at Dartmouth College who was not involved in the study, said, 'This is important for the issue of the effect of location by targeting older people who have moved from one location to another. I'm giving you some suggestions. ' The study, which identified the effects of new homes on personal health, was cited by other researchers and argued that it would impact health policy over the next few years.

In this study, it was confirmed that moving to a place with a long life expectancy does not necessarily have a positive effect on the life expectancy of the elderly, and vice versa. For example, older people who move to Charlotte, North Carolina have a longer life expectancy, but life expectancy in Charlotte is not high. Also, in areas such as Santa Fe, New Mexico, the average life expectancy of the entire area is high, but it seems that the life expectancy of the elderly who moved there was negatively affected.

The reason why life expectancy does not correlate with the life expectancy of the elderly is that 'the average life expectancy is low due to the spread of smoking throughout the region, but other factors allow people in average health to live longer.' Can be mentioned. 'I know something makes a difference in Charlotte, North Carolina, but what's happening,' said Filkenstein, who said the next step was to identify the factors that affect the longevity of older people. I don't know if it's there yet, 'he said, admitting that it's an issue for the future.

The research team is working on medical practices such as

'doctors' and 'prescription of opioids , which are analgesics,' in order to investigate the possibility that differences in location may affect lifespan. In addition to the medical system, climate, environmental pollution, crime, traffic conditions, etc. may affect the longevity of the elderly. It's about getting into the black box and understanding what's important for longevity, 'said Filkenstein.