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Decreasing prevalence of disability in activities of daily living, functional limitations and poor self-rated health: a 6-year follow-up study in Spain

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Abstract

Background and aims: Forecasting functional status in elderly populations is uncertain. Our aim is to provide evidence of population trends of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) disability, functional limitations and self-rated health. Methods: Data come from a longitudinal study of aging in Leganés (Spain), collected in 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999, on a representative sample of 1560 community dwelling people over 65. Response rate at baseline was 82%. ADL disability was defined as needing help in at least one of the following: walking across a small room, taking a shower, toileting, getting out of bed, getting up from a chair, using the toilet, dressing and eating. Functional limitations were based on questions of difficulty with upper and lower limbs. Self-rated health was assessed with a single question. ADL disability, functional limitations and self-rated health were regressed on age, survey year, sex and education. Results: There are significant declines in ADL disability, functional limitations and poor self-rated health at every age and up to very advanced ages. Over 90, the ADL disability trend may be reversed, with the emergence of a very old and disabled population. Women and people with little education have a higher prevalence of disability, functional limitations and poor health, when compared with men and those with higher education. Conclusions: Results suggest the postponement of severe disability onset in this Spanish population, leading to longer healthy life expectancy, and support the emergence of a very disabled population over 90 years of age.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, H3C 3J7, Québec, Canada

    Maria Victoria Zunzunegui PhD

  2. Departamento de Estadística, Universidad Carlos III, Leganés, Spain

    Olivier Nunez & Maria Durban

  3. Técnicas Avanzadas de Investigatión en Servicios de Salud (TAISS), Madrid, Spain

    María-Jesús García de Yébenes

  4. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain

    Ángel Otero

Authors
  1. Maria Victoria Zunzunegui PhD
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  2. Olivier Nunez
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  3. Maria Durban
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  4. María-Jesús García de Yébenes
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  5. Ángel Otero
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Correspondence to Maria Victoria Zunzunegui PhD.

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Zunzunegui, M.V., Nunez, O., Durban, M. et al. Decreasing prevalence of disability in activities of daily living, functional limitations and poor self-rated health: a 6-year follow-up study in Spain. Aging Clin Exp Res 18, 352–358 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324830

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