Compression of morbidity

The compression of morbidity in public health is a hypothesis put forth^[1] by James Fries, professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. The hypothesis was confirmed by a 1998 study of 1700 University of Pennsylvania alumni over a period of 20 years.^[2]

Fries' hypothesis is that the burden of lifetime illness may be compressed into a shorter period before the time of death, if the age of onset of the first chronic infirmity can be postponed.^[3] This hypothesis contrasts to the view that as the age of countries' populations tends to increase over time, they will become increasingly infirm and consume an ever-larger proportion of the national budget in healthcare costs.^{[citation needed]}

In order to confirm this hypothesis, the evidence must show that it is possible to delay the onset of infirmity, and that corresponding increases in longevity will be modest.^{[citation needed]}

Fries concludes that if the hypothesis is confirmed, healthcare costs and patient health overall will be improved.^[3]

References

1. ^ Fries, James F. (1980). "Aging, Natural Death, and the Compression of Morbidity". New England Journal of Medicine 303 (3): 130–5. doi:10.1056/NEJM198007173030304. PMID 7383070. http://aramis.stanford.edu/downloads/1980FriesNEJM130.pdf. 
2. ^ Vita, Anthony J.; Terry, Richard B.; Hubert, Helen B.; Fries, James F. (1998). "Aging, Health Risks, and Cumulative Disability". New England Journal of Medicine 338 (15): 1035–41. doi:10.1056/NEJM199804093381506. PMID 9535669. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Swartz, Aimee (2008). "James Fries: Healthy Aging Pioneer". American Journal of Public Health 98 (7): 1163–6. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.135731. PMC 2424092. PMID 18511711. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2424092. 

Further reading

• Fries, James F. (2005). "The Compression of Morbidity". The Milbank Quarterly 83 (4): 801–23. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0009.2005.00401.x. PMID 16279968. http://www.milbank.org/quarterly/830427fries.pdf. 
• Brody, Jane E. (August 25, 2008). "Living Longer, in Good Health to the End". The New York Times: p. D7. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/health/26brod.html.