Epidemiological, Demographic, and Social Correlates of Disability Among the Elderly

A study was conducted on elderly long-term care population characteristics and service use; it focused on functional transitions at advanced ages and the impact of long-term care services on these transitions. Analysis was done using the 1982 and 1984 National Long-Term Care Surveys and the Channeling data sets; and a later analysis was done of the 1984 National Health Interview Survey/Supplement on Aging, and the 1985 National Nursing Home Survey. These complementary data sources were used to refine and expand the understanding of health and functional status changes, as well as trends in institutionalization and community service use. The analytic procedures included event history and life table models based on Grade of Membership classifications. In this report, the magnitude and quality of the problem of disability or functional impairment for the community resident disabled and institutionalized U.S. elderly populations are considered. Discussions include: analyzing the elderly and oldest old population; projections of the growth of the disabled and institutionalized elderly population; impact of changes in health and functioning at later ages; and assessing the number of disabled elderly in need of certain services. [40 PDF pages]