Table 4.

Health indicators used to predict latent health within each domain and diagnosed conditions permitted to influence visits to a doctor directly

Health indicators within each domain
Mobility	(a) Whether obese; (b) maximum grip strength; (c) number of limitations in activities of daily living; (d) number of limitations in mobility, arm function and fine motor function; (e) whether has been diagnosed with stroke, arthritis or rheumatism, hip or femoral fracture or Parkinson’s disease; (f) whether has any of the symptoms swollen legs, falling down, fear of falling down, dizziness, faints or blackouts
Cognition	All five measured tests of cognitive functioning performed by SHARE respondents: (a) orientation in time (score of date recall test); (b), (c) immediate and delayed word recall†; (d) word finding and verbal fluency (number of animals named within a time interval); (e) numeracy‡
Pain	(a) Whether bothered by pain in back, knees, hips or other joints; (b) whether takes medication for joint pain or inflammation; (c) whether takes medication for other pain or for stomach burn; (d) whether has been diagnosed with cancer (excluding cancer that does not cause pain—skin, testicle and thyroid—and also cases diagnosed more than 5 years previously), stomach, duodenal or peptic ulcer, arthritis or rheumatism, or hip or femoral fracture
Sleep	(a) Whether EURO-D depression score (Prince et al., 1999) indicates trouble with sleeping; (b) whether is bothered by sleeping problems; (c) whether takes medication for sleeping problems; (d) whether obese; (e) whether has been diagnosed with asthma, bronchitis, etc., cancer of oral cavity, larynx, pharynx and lung (dropping cases diagnosed longer than 5 years previously)
Breathing	(a) Whether is bothered by breathlessness; (b) whether bothered by persistent cough; (c) whether has been diagnosed with chronic lung disease or asthma; (d) whether takes medication for asthma and/or chronic bronchitis
Emotional health	(a) Score on EURO-D depression scale (Prince et al., 1999); (b) whether takes medication for depression
Diagnosed conditions permitted to explain doctor visits directly
Whether has	(a) Heart attack or other heart problems; (b) high blood pressure; (c) high blood cholesterol; (d) stroke or cerebral vascular disease; (e) diabetes; (f) chronic lung disease; (g) asthma; (h) arthritis or rheumatism; (i) osteoporosis; (j) cancer or malignant tumour (except if diagnosed more than 5 years previously); (k) stomach, duodenal or peptic ulcer; (l) Parkinson’s disease; (m) cataracts; (n) hip or femoral fracture; (o) any other diagnosed condition

^†Respondents are presented orally with 10 common words and asked to remember them. Word recall is tested immediately and after a short delay during which other cognitive tests are performed.

^‡Respondents are asked to solve up to three problems requiring simple mental calculations based on real life situations. Those who fail the first question are asked an easier one (and given a total score of 1 if they answer the second incorrectly also or 2 if they answer it correctly). Those who answer the first question correctly are asked two progressively more difficult questions (and given a total score of 3 if they answer the first incorrectly, of 4 if they answer only the first correctly and of 5 if they answer them both correctly).