Newly reported chronic conditions and onset of functional dependency

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between newly reported chronic conditions and subsequent functional dependency in older adults. DESIGN: Three-year cohort study. SETTING: United States. PARTICIPANTS: A national sample of Americans age 65 and older (N = 4,968) who participated in the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reports of new physician diagnoses between baseline and 12 months and functional dependency onset at 12-, 24-, and 36-month follow-up. Functional dependency is defined as needing help with or being unable to perform one or more activities of daily living or residence in a long-term care facility. RESULTS: After 12 months of follow-up, 29.8% of participants reported one or more newly diagnosed conditions, increasing to 48.7% at 24 months and 61.3% at 36 months. Number of newly reported conditions was associated with greater probability of functional dependency; this association was strongest at 12 months. The odds of becoming functionally dependent were nearly twice as great in participants who reported one new chronic condition (odds ratio (OR) = 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-2.8), more than four times as great in those who reported two new chronic conditions (OR = 4.3, 95% = CI 2.7-6.9), and 13 times as great in those who reported three or more new chronic conditions (OR = 13.0, 95% = CI 6.5-26.3) as in those who reported no new chronic conditions. Newly reported dementia, stroke, psychological disorders, low body mass index, and obesity were significantly and consistently related to functional dependency throughout all 3 years of observation (OR = 2.1-14.1). CONCLUSION: Findings from this study demonstrate the strong relationship between newly diagnosed chronic conditions and functional dependency and highlight the potential benefit of prevention in older adults.