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Comparative Study
. 2011 Aug 18:11:47.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-11-47.

Recent trends in chronic disease, impairment and disability among older adults in the United States

William W Hung  1 , Joseph S Ross, Kenneth S Boockvar, Albert L Siu
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Recent trends in chronic disease, impairment and disability among older adults in the United States

William W Hung et al. BMC Geriatr. .

Abstract

Background: To examine concurrent prevalence trends of chronic disease, impairment and disability among older adults.

Methods: We analyzed the 1998, 2004 and 2008 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey of older adults in the United States, and included 31,568 community dwelling adults aged 65 and over. Measurements include: prevalence of chronic diseases including hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease and arthritis; prevalence of impairments, including impairments of cognition, vision, hearing, mobility, and urinary incontinence; prevalence of disability, including activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).

Results: The proportion of older adults reporting no chronic disease decreased from 13.1% (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 12.4%-13.8%) in 1998 to 7.8% (95% CI, 7.2%-8.4%) in 2008, whereas the proportion reporting 1 or more chronic diseases increased from 86.9% (95% CI, 86.2%-89.6%) in 1998 to 92.2% (95% CI, 91.6%-92.8%) in 2008. In addition, the proportion reporting 4 or more diseases increased from 11.7% (95% CI, 11.0%-12.4%) in 1998 to 17.4% (95% CI, 16.6%-18.2%) in 2008. The proportion of older adults reporting no impairments was 47.3% (95% CI, 46.3%-48.4%) in 1998 and 44.4% (95% CI, 43.3%-45.5%) in 2008, whereas the proportion of respondents reporting 3 or more was 7.2% (95% CI, 6.7%-7.7%) in 1998 and 7.3% (95% CI, 6.8%-7.9%) in 2008. The proportion of older adults reporting any ADL or IADL disability was 26.3% (95% CI, 25.4%-27.2%) in 1998 and 25.4% (95% CI, 24.5%-26.3%) in 2008.

Conclusions: Multiple chronic disease is increasingly prevalent among older U.S. adults, whereas the prevalence of impairment and disability, while substantial, remain stable.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentage of older adults aged 65 and over who have 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 or more chronic diseases (A), 0, 1, 2, or 3 or more impairments (B) and disability in activities in daily living, instrumental activities of daily living or either (C) in the Health and Retirement Study in 1998, 2004 and 2008. All estimates used sampling weights to account for survey design.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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