Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gender differences in associations between ADL and other health indicators in 1992 and 2002

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and aims: Research has shown increased prevalence rates over time in several health indicators in the older population. These increases have not been accompanied by corresponding increases in ADL and IADL disability. As disability and other health indicators follow different trends, the associations between them may change. And, as both health and disability also appear to follow different trends for men and women, we can expect gender differences in the associations. We examined gender differences in how objective tests of function, as well as self-reported health and function indicators, were associated with ADL/IADL in 1992 and 2002. Methods: Data came from the Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions among the Oldest Old (SWEOLD), a nationally representative interview survey of persons aged 77+. Results: Compared with men, women had significantly higher prevalence rates for most health indicators in both survey years, but there were no significant gender differences in ADL/IADL limitations. Prevalence rates increased significantly between 1992 and 2002 for all health indicators, but not for ADL/IADL. Most of the associations between ADL/IADL and other health indicators were stronger for men than for women. The overall pattern found was that associations have become weaker for women over time; for men, the picture was mixed. Conclusions: The changing associations between ADL/IADL and other health indicators may reflect complex interplay between changes in several social and environmental factors, some of which may be modifiable. ADL/IADL appear to reflect different dimensions of health and different kinds of needs for men and women.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Costa D. Changing chronic disease rates and long-term declines in functional limitation among older men. Demography 2002; 39: 119–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Crimmins EM. Trends in the health of the elderly. Annu Rev Public Health 2004; 25: 79–98.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Crimmins EM, Saito Y. Change in the prevalence of diseases among older Americans: 1984–1994. Demogr Res 2000; 9: 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Freedman V, Schoeni R, Martin L, Cornman J. Chronic conditions and the decline in late-life disability. Demography 2007; 44: 459–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Freedman VA, Martin LG. Contribution of chronic conditions to aggregate changes in old-age functioning. Am J Public Health 2000; 90: 1755–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Freedman VA, Martin LG, Schoeni RF. Recent trends in disability and functioning among older adults in the United States: a systematic review. JAMA 2002; 288: 3137–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Kramarow E, Lubitz J, Lentzner H, Y. Trends in the health of older Americans, 1970–2005. Health Affairs 2007; 26: 1417–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Martin LG, Freedman VA, Schoeni RF, Andreski PM. Health and functioning among baby boomers approaching 60. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2009; 64: 369–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Robine J, P, Sermet C. Examination of the causes and mechanisms of the increase in disability-free life expectancy. J Aging Health 1998; 10: 171–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wen X. Trends in the prevalence of disability and chronic conditions among the older population: implications for survey design and measurement of disability. Aust J Ageing 2004; 23: 3–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Parker MG, K, Thorslund M. Health changes among Swedish oldest old: prevalence rates from 1992 and 2002 show increasing health problems. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2005; 60: 1351–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Schön P, Parker MG. Sex differences in health in 1992 and 2002 among very old Swedes. J Popul Ageing 2008; 1: 107–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Ahacic K, Kåreholt I, Thorslund M, Parker MG. Relationships between symptoms, physical capacity and activity limitations in 1992 and 2002. Aging Clin Exp Res 2007; 19: 187–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Merrill SS, Seeman TE, Kasl SV, Berkman LF. Gender differences in the comparison of self-reported disability and performance measures. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 1997; 52: M19–26.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Nathanson CA. Sex, illness, and medical care. A review of data, theory, and method. Soc Sci Med 1977; 11: 13–25.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Oksuzyan A, Juel K, Vaupel JW, Christensen K. Men: good health and high mortality. Sex differences in health and aging. Aging Clin Exp Res 2008; 20: 91–102.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Verbrugge LM. The twain meet: empirical explanations of sex differences in health and mortality. J Health Soc Behav 1989; 30: 282–304.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Verbrugge LM, Wingard DL. Sex differentials in health and mortality. Women Health 1987; 12: 103–45.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Parker MG, Thorslund M, Lundberg O. Physical function and social class among Swedish oldest old. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 1994; 49: 196–201.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Wray LA, Blaum CS. Explaining the role of sex on disability: a population-based study. Gerontologist 2001; 41: 499–510.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Leveille SG, Resnick HE, Balfour J. Gender differences in disability: evidence and underlying reasons. Aging Clin Exp Res 2000; 12: 106–12.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. von Strauss E, Aguero-Torres H, Kareholt I, Winblad B, Fratiglioni L. Women are more disabled in basic activities of daily living than men only in very advanced ages: a study on disability, morbidity, and mortality from the Kungsholmen Project. J Clin Epidemiol 2003; 56: 669–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Verbrugge LM. Sex differences in health. In Maddox G, Ed. The Encyclopedia of Aging. New York: Springer, 1987: 601–4.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Manton KG. Mortality and morbidity. In Binstock RH, George LK, Eds. Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences (3rd ed.). San Diego: Academic Press, 1990: 64–90.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Macintyre S, Ford G, Hunt K. Do women ‘over-report’ morbidity? Men’s and women’s responses to structured prompting on a standard question on long standing illness. Soc Sci Med 1999; 48: 89–98.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Jette AM. Toward a common language for function, disability, and health. Phys Ther 2006; 86: 726–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Verbrugge LM, Jette AM. The disablement process. Soc Sci Med 1994; 38: 1–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Erikson R, Åberg R. Welfare in transition: a survey of living conditions in Sweden 1968–1981. Oxford: Clarendon, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Lundberg O, Thorslund M. Fieldwork and measurement considerations in surveys of the oldest old. Soc Ind Res 1996; 37: 165–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Cook NR, Albert MS, Berkman LF, Blazer D, Taylor JO, Hennekens CH. Interrelationships of peak expiratory flow rate with physical and cognitive function in the elderly: MacArthur Foundation studies of aging. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 1995; 50: M317–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Cook NR, Evans DA, Scherr PA, Speizer FE, Taylor JO, Hennekens CH. Peak expiratory flow rate and 5-year mortality in an elderly population. Am J Epidemiol 1991; 15: 784–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Leveille SG, Fried L, Guralnik JM. Disabling symptoms: what do older women report? J Gen Intern Med 2002; 17: 766–73.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Avlund K, Rantanen T, Schroll M. Tiredness and subsequent disability in older adults: the role of walking limitations. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2006; 61: 1201–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Fors S. Health inequalities among older adults in Sweden 1992–2002. Eur J Public Health 2007; 18: 138–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Fritzell J, Lundberg O (Eds). Health inequalities and welfare resources. Continuity and change in Sweden. Bristol: The Policy Press, 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Thorslund M, Lundberg O. Health and inequalities among the oldest old. J Aging Health 1994; 6: 51–69.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Lundberg O. Den ojämlika ohälsan. Om klass- och könsskillnader i sjuklighet [Inequality in ill health: on class and sex differences in illness]. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Parker MG, Thorslund M. Health trends in the elderly population: getting better and getting worse. Gerontologist 2007; 47: 150–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Guralnik JM, Branch LG, Cummings SR, Curb JD. Physical performance measures in aging research. J Gerontol Med Sci 1989; 44: M141–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work, Stockholm University, ;Stockholm, Sweden

    Pär Schön PhD & Mats Thorslund

  2. Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, 8tr, SE - 113 30, ;Stockholm, Sweden

    Pär Schön PhD, Marti G. Parker, Ingemar Kåreholt & Mats Thorslund

Authors
  1. Pär Schön PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marti G. Parker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ingemar Kåreholt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mats Thorslund
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pär Schön PhD.

Additional information

An earlier version of this study was presented as a poster at the 62nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, Atlanta, November 2009.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Schön, P., Parker, M.G., Kåreholt, I. et al. Gender differences in associations between ADL and other health indicators in 1992 and 2002. Aging Clin Exp Res 23, 91–98 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03351074

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03351074

Keywords

Search

Navigation