Table 2

HRs (95% CI) for death in men in quartiles of the score of each ability test subscale

Number of deaths/subjectsVerbalNumber of deaths/subjectsVisuospatialNumber of deaths/subjectsArithmetic
All-cause mortality
Lowest130/6561.9 (1.4 to 2.5)135/6742.2 (1.6 to 3.0)141/6971.9 (1.4 to 2.5)
2132/7241.7 (1.3 to 2.3)117/6312.0 (1.4 to 2.8)109/6761.5 (1.1 to 2.0)
391/6641.3 (1.0 to 1.8)120/8491.5 (1.1 to 2.1)103/7271.4 (1.0 to 1.8)
Highest77/7411.0 (Referent)59/6321.0 (Referent)72/6691.0 (Referent)
Per 1 unit lower z score
Model 11.25 (1.14 to 1.38)1.31 (1.20 to 1.44)1.22 (1.12 to 1.34)
Model 21.21 (1.10 to 1.34)1.27 (1.15 to 1.40)1.18 (1.07 to 1.31)
Model 31.11 (1.00 to 1.24)1.18 (1.06 to 1.31)1.07 (0.96 to 1.19)
Cardiovascular mortality
Lowest36/6561.8 (1.1 to 3.1)46/6742.3 (1.3 to 4.0)44/6971.7 (1.0 to 2.8)
250/7242.2 (1.3 to 3.7)39/6312.1 (1.2 to 3.6)39/6761.5 (0.9 to 2.5)
334/6641.7 (1.0 to 2.9)39/8491.5 (0.9 to 2.6)33/7271.2 (0.7 to 2.1)
Highest22/7411.0 (Referent)19/6321.0 (Referent)25/6691.0 (Referent)
Per 1 unit lower z score
Model 11.21 (1.02 to 1.43)1.37 (1.16 to 1.60)1.18 (1.01 to 1.39)
Model 21.13 (0.95 to 1.35)1.33 (1.12 to 1.58)1.15 (0.97 to 1.36)
Model 31.00 (0.83 to 1.22)1.18 (0.98 to 1.41)0.97 (0.81 to 1.17)
Non-cardiovascular mortality
Lowest94/6561.9 (1.4 to 2.7)88/6742.2 (1.5 to 3.2)95/6972.0 (1.4 to 2.9)
279/7241.5 (1.0 to 2.1)74/6312.0 (1.3 to 2.9)70/6761.5 (1.0 to 2.2)
354/6641.1 (0.8 to 1.6)80/8491.5 (1.0 to 2.2)68/7271.4 (1.0 to 2.0)
Highest56/7411.0 (Referent)41/6321.0 (Referent)47/6691.0 (Referent)
Per 1 unit lower z score
Model 11.28 (1.14 to 1.44)1.30 (1.16 to 1.45)1.24 (1.11 to 1.39)
Model 21.26 (1.11 to 1.42)1.26 (1.11 to 1.42)1.20 (1.06 to 1.35)
Model 31.17 (1.03 to 1.34)1.18 (1.03 to 1.34)1.12 (0.98 to 1.28)
  • Analyses are stratified for year of birth and adjusted for age and year at testing.

  • Model 1: adjusted for year and age at testing.

  • Model 2: adjusted as for model 1 plus childhood socioeconomic status and height and body mass index at start of military service.

  • Model 3: adjusted as for model 2 plus adult education.