Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 2 , Pages 210-218, February 2008

Health of Community-Dwelling Adults With Mobility Limitations in the United States: Prevalent Health Conditions. Part I

Presented as an abstract to the American Public Health Association, December 14, 2005, Philadelphia, PA.

  • Elizabeth K. Rasch, PT, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Clinical Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
    • Rasch was employed at the National Center for Health Statistics, Center for Disease Control and Prevention when this work was completed.
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to Elizabeth K. Rasch, PT, PhD, National Institutes of Health, Bldg 10, CRC, Room 1469, 10 Center Dr, MSC 1604, Bethesda, MD 20892-1604. Reprints are not available from the author.
    • ,
  • Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
    • ,
  • Larry Magder, PhD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
    • ,
  • Jay Magaziner, PhD, MSHyg

      Affiliations

    • University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
    • ,
  • Barbara M. Altman, PhD

      Affiliations

    • National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD

Abstract 

Rasch EK, Hochberg MC, Magder L, Magaziner J, Altman BM. Health of community-dwelling adults with mobility limitations in the United States: prevalent health conditions. Part I.

Objective

To characterize the extent and types of prevalent health conditions among nationally representative groups of adults with mobility, nonmobility, and no limitations.

Design

Data were collected during 5 rounds of household interviews from a probability subsample of households that represent the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population. With some exceptions, round 1 variables were used for this analysis.

Setting

Community.

Participants

Data were analyzed on the same respondents from the 1996 to 1997 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and the 1995 National Health Interview Survey Disability Supplement. Respondents were categorized into 3 groups for analysis: those with mobility limitations, nonmobility limitations; and no limitations. The analytic sample included 13,897 MEPS adults (≥18y).

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Number, types, and prevalence of self-reported health conditions compared across groups.

Results

On average, adults with mobility limitations had significantly more prevalent conditions (3.6) than those with nonmobility limitations (2.4), or no limitations (1.3). Greater comorbidity existed in the context of fewer personal resources and more than half of adults with mobility limitations were working age.

Conclusions

Determining factors that influence the health of adults with mobility limitations is a critical public health issue.

Key Words: Comorbidity, Persons with disabilities, Public health, Rehabilitation

 

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(07)01666-8

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2007.08.146

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 2 , Pages 210-218, February 2008

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