TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-report of difficulty in performing functional activities identifies a broad range of disability in old age
AU - Langlois, Jean A.
AU - Maggi, Stefania
AU - Harris, Tamara
AU - Simonsick, Eleanor M.
AU - Ferrucci, Luigi
AU - Pavan, Mara
AU - Sartori, Leonardo
AU - Enzi, Giuliano
PY - 1996/12
Y1 - 1996/12
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To describe a broad range of physical disability by examining the association between a four-level measure of disability, based on self- report of difficulty in performing functional activities, and previously identified risk factors for disability. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Community-based. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2373 noninstitutionalized men and women aged 65 and older from the Veneto Region of Italy. MEASUREMENTS: Odds ratios for the association of the four levels of disability (none, mild, moderate, and ADL disability) differentiated by this new measure with known risk factors for physical disability. MAIN RESULTS: This summary measure of physical disability distinguished older persons with disability from the population typically classified as nondisabled. Twenty-one percent of study participants were identified as having Activities of Daily Living (ADL) disability (defined as self-report of difficulty in one or more ADLs), and an additional 40% had mild or moderate disability based on degree of difficulty in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) and physical functional activities. Hip fracture and lower extremity performance were strongly independently associated with each level of disability. The association of a range of established risk factors for disability and health care utilization measures with the levels of disability identified in our study, and the trend toward increasing odds with increasing disability, provide evidence of the construct validity of this measure. CONCLUSIONS: Self-report of difficulty in performing functional activities identifies older persons with physical disability not ascertained by self-report of the need for help, the measure typically used to identify disability in older populations. Further studies should evaluate the potential for self-reported difficulty in functional activities to predict important disability-related outcomes.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To describe a broad range of physical disability by examining the association between a four-level measure of disability, based on self- report of difficulty in performing functional activities, and previously identified risk factors for disability. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Community-based. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2373 noninstitutionalized men and women aged 65 and older from the Veneto Region of Italy. MEASUREMENTS: Odds ratios for the association of the four levels of disability (none, mild, moderate, and ADL disability) differentiated by this new measure with known risk factors for physical disability. MAIN RESULTS: This summary measure of physical disability distinguished older persons with disability from the population typically classified as nondisabled. Twenty-one percent of study participants were identified as having Activities of Daily Living (ADL) disability (defined as self-report of difficulty in one or more ADLs), and an additional 40% had mild or moderate disability based on degree of difficulty in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) and physical functional activities. Hip fracture and lower extremity performance were strongly independently associated with each level of disability. The association of a range of established risk factors for disability and health care utilization measures with the levels of disability identified in our study, and the trend toward increasing odds with increasing disability, provide evidence of the construct validity of this measure. CONCLUSIONS: Self-report of difficulty in performing functional activities identifies older persons with physical disability not ascertained by self-report of the need for help, the measure typically used to identify disability in older populations. Further studies should evaluate the potential for self-reported difficulty in functional activities to predict important disability-related outcomes.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0029838926&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0029838926&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1996.tb04065.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1996.tb04065.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 8951310
AN - SCOPUS:0029838926
SN - 0002-8614
VL - 44
SP - 1421
EP - 1428
JO - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
JF - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
IS - 12
ER -