Disabilities Sidelining Middle-Age Adults
Disabilities Sidelining Middle-Age Adults
April 9, 2010 -- Baby boomers are increasingly reporting mobility-related problems, such as climbing stairs, stooping down, and getting out of bed, new research shows.
The finding, an omen for the future of health care costs, comes from 1997-2007 data from the National Health Interview Survey, in which more than 18,000 people aged 50-64 were asked about any mobility problems.
These problems included stooping, bending, or kneeling, climbing 10 stairs, standing or sitting for two hours, walking a quarter mile, lifting and carrying objects weighing 10 pounds, grasping small items, pushing or pulling a large object, and reaching overhead.
The researchers say more than 40% of people in that age group reported they had trouble with at least one of the physical functions, and that many said they had problems doing two or more. Difficulty in four specific functions -- stooping, standing two hours, walking a quarter mile, and climbing 10 steps without resting -- significantly increased over the 11-year period studied.
Also, they noted a significant increase in the number of people who reported needing help with personal care activities, such as getting around inside their homes and getting into or out of a bed or chair.
“Over the same period, there also was a significant increase in the reports of use of special equipment,” such as a cane, wheelchair, special bed, or telephone, the authors write.
The study is published in the April edition of the journal Health Affairs.
Arthritis or rheumatism was the most common condition associated with difficulty with a physical function. Other common conditions included neurologic problems, back or neck conditions, bone and joint injuries, lung problems, depression, and anxiety.
The study has “important implications for future health spending, demand for health care workers, and prospects for continued labor-force participation, and access to health insurance through employers,” the authors write.
The researchers say the study “also highlights a prominent and growing role for diabetes as a cause of disability” among people 50 to 64.
In contrast to the disability increase found in baby boomers, the researchers, from the RAND Corp. think tank and the University of Michigan, reported a decline in disability problems among Americans 65 and over.
The finding, an omen for the future of health care costs, comes from 1997-2007 data from the National Health Interview Survey, in which more than 18,000 people aged 50-64 were asked about any mobility problems.
These problems included stooping, bending, or kneeling, climbing 10 stairs, standing or sitting for two hours, walking a quarter mile, lifting and carrying objects weighing 10 pounds, grasping small items, pushing or pulling a large object, and reaching overhead.
The researchers say more than 40% of people in that age group reported they had trouble with at least one of the physical functions, and that many said they had problems doing two or more. Difficulty in four specific functions -- stooping, standing two hours, walking a quarter mile, and climbing 10 steps without resting -- significantly increased over the 11-year period studied.
Also, they noted a significant increase in the number of people who reported needing help with personal care activities, such as getting around inside their homes and getting into or out of a bed or chair.
“Over the same period, there also was a significant increase in the reports of use of special equipment,” such as a cane, wheelchair, special bed, or telephone, the authors write.
The study is published in the April edition of the journal Health Affairs.
Arthritis, Diabetes Contribute to Disability
Arthritis or rheumatism was the most common condition associated with difficulty with a physical function. Other common conditions included neurologic problems, back or neck conditions, bone and joint injuries, lung problems, depression, and anxiety.
The study has “important implications for future health spending, demand for health care workers, and prospects for continued labor-force participation, and access to health insurance through employers,” the authors write.
The researchers say the study “also highlights a prominent and growing role for diabetes as a cause of disability” among people 50 to 64.
In contrast to the disability increase found in baby boomers, the researchers, from the RAND Corp. think tank and the University of Michigan, reported a decline in disability problems among Americans 65 and over.
