Standard of living in the retirement survey: a predictor of six-year functional limitation onset and mortality in women, but not in men from ages 55 - 69 years.

Purpose: To investigate the predictive validity for health decline of a standard of living, a measure that combines basic necessities and consumer durables.

Method: A nationally representative sample of those aged 55-69 years was interviewed at home in the Great Britain Retirement and Retirement Plans Survey, (1988; n=3,541). In 1994, 2,247 were re-interviewed, response rate being 70% of survivors.