A follow-up study of the commission on chronic illness morbidity survey in baltimore -IV. Factors influencing mortality from stroke and arteriosclerotic heart disease (1954-1967)

The Commission on Chronic Illness Survey population has been followed from 1954 to 1967. Previous reports have described subsequent mortality in relation to demographic characteristics and population mobility to 1962. A recent study compared the survivorship of screenees and non-screenees. The present study extends the mortality follow-up to 1966-1967. Only 3.9 per cent of the population was lost to follow-up. Men had substantially higher all cause and arteriosclerotic heart disease mortality than women and blacks had higher all cause and stroke mortality than whites. A history of hypertension, heart disease, or diabetes was associated with a substantially increased risk of all cause, stroke and arteriosclerotic heart disease deaths. Individuals with abnormal screening tests also had a markedly increased mortality. A study of the married couples in the sample failed to reveal any evidence of spouse aggregation of either all cause or specific cause mortality.