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How measurement techniques influence estimates of disability in older populations

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  • Jette, Alan M.

Abstract

Measures of disability in activities of daily living (ADL) have become important indicators of the health of older persons. One fundamental decision in disability research is constructing or choosing a rating scale to measure ADL disability. Although there is growing consensus in the field on what ADLs to measure, there is little agreement on how to measure ADL disability. This study compares the effect of scales that rate the presence of difficulty, use or human assistance and use of any type of assistance to perform seven different ADLs on prevalence estimates of disability in a probability sample of 1818 adults 70 years of age and older living in the six New England states. Results reveal that different disability rating scales can have a dramatic impact on prevalence estimates of disability in older populations. Measures that used the 'difficulty' scale produced disability estimates from 1.2 to 5 times greater than estimates from the 'human assistance' scale. The effect of rating scales was associated with respondents' age, social factors, and health status. Effects also varied substantially across different ADLs. Researchers need to make careful choices of the disability ratings scales and use caution in drawing inter-study comparisons where different scaling methods were employed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jette, Alan M., 1994. "How measurement techniques influence estimates of disability in older populations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 937-942, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:38:y:1994:i:7:p:937-942
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    Cited by:

    1. Collin F. Payne & Francesc Xavier Gómez-Olivé & Kathleen Kahn & Lisa Berkman, 2017. "Physical Function in an Aging Population in Rural South Africa: Findings From HAALSI and Cross-National Comparisons With HRS Sister Studies," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 72(4), pages 665-679.
    2. Milan Chang & Olof G. Geirsdottir & Lenore J. Launer & Vilmundur Gudnasson & Marjolein Visser & Ingibjorg Gunnarsdottir, 2021. "A poor appetite or ability to eat and its association with physical function amongst community-dwelling older adults: age, gene/environment susceptibility-Reykjavik study," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 405-415, September.
    3. K. B. E. Thorsell & B. M. Nordström & L. Fagerström & B. V. Sivberg, 2010. "Time in Care for Older People Living in Nursing Homes," Nursing Research and Practice, Hindawi, vol. 2010, pages 1-10, June.
    4. Jibum Kim & Jinkook Lee, 2010. "Disability of Older Koreans Evidence on Prevalence and the Role of Education from Five Data Sets," Working Papers WR-811, RAND Corporation.
    5. Duncan Thomas & Elizabeth Frankenberg, 2001. "The Measurement and Interpretation of Health in Social Surveys," Working Papers 01-06, RAND Corporation.
    6. Jingyi Gao & Hoolda Kim & Sophie Mitra, 2023. "Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditures Associated with Chronic Health Conditions and Disability in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-12, July.
    7. Jibum Kim & Jinkook Lee, 2010. "Disability of Older Koreans Evidence on Prevalence and the Role of Education from Five Data Sets," Working Papers 811, RAND Corporation.
    8. Mark Hayward & Robert Hummer & Chi-Tsun Chiu & César González-González & Rebeca Wong, 2014. "Does the Hispanic Paradox in U.S. Adult Mortality Extend to Disability?," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 33(1), pages 81-96, February.

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    Keywords

    disability aging survey research;

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