The theoretical approaches described above were developed without reference to empirical findings. Initial examinations of empirical health trends indicated that the trends differed when different aspects of health were examined and that some indicators showed improving health and some deteriorating health. For instance, Verbrugge (76) noted that from 1972 to 1981 there were increases in reported disease presence and disability, yet improvements in self-reported of researchers from a variety of countries noted that the 1970s were a period of decreasing mortality and increasing disability
