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Disability trends among older adults in ten European countries over 2004–2013, using various indicators and Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2016

GEORGIA VERROPOULOU  and
CLEON TSIMBOS
GEORGIA VERROPOULOU*
Affiliation:
University of Piraeus, Department of Statistics & Insurance Science, Greece. Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of Education, London, UK.
CLEON TSIMBOS
Affiliation:
University of Piraeus, Department of Statistics & Insurance Science, Greece.
*
Address for correspondence: Georgia Verropoulou, University of Piraeus, Department of Statistics & Insurance Science, 80 Karaoli & Dimitriou Street, Piraeus 18534, Greece E-mail: gverrop@unipi.gr
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Abstract

In the context of the prospective increase in the numbers of older adults in Europe and of conflicting findings regarding recent disability trends, the present study uses cross-sectional data from four waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), covering the period 2004–2013, and aims at the assessment of trends in disability by sex and broad age group (50–64 and 65 and over) for the ten countries participating in all waves, based on four different measures: limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs), limitations in instrumental ADLs, mobility difficulties and the Global Activity Limitation Indicator. The analysis uses logistic regression models adjusted for age and, subsequently, also for chronic conditions. The findings indicate improvements both in mild/moderate activity restrictions and in functional limitations for several countries, especially among men and women aged 65 and over. Regarding severe disability (ADLs) there is mostly a lack of any significant trend and only a few declines. In several instances, the observed trends are linked to changes in chronic conditions; significant improvements net of chronic conditions are found mainly in Sweden but also in the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Italy and France. Overall, the estimated trends often differentiate by country, age group and sex while they depend upon the specificities of the measures used in the analysis.

Keywords

disability trendsGlobal Activity Limitation Indicator (GALI)activities of daily livinginstrumental activities of daily livingmobility difficulties
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 37 , Issue 10 , November 2017 , pp. 2152 - 2182
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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