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Abstract #156543

Adina Zeki Al Hazzouri, MS¹, Abla Mehio-Sibai, PhD², Monique Chaaya, DrPH², and Mona Kanaan, PhD². (1) Department of Internal Medicine / Calcium Metabolism and Osteoporosis Program, American University of Beirut Medical Center, P.O.Box: 11-0236, Riad El-Solh-Beirut 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon, 961-3-659495, adinaghazzouri@yahoo.com, (2) Faculty of Health Sciences - Epidemiology and Population Health Department, American University of Beirut, P.O.Box: 11-0236, Riad El-Solh/ Beirut 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon

Introduction: The past century has witnessed a demographic transition characterized by a rapid ageing process. Projections for the year 2050 show that older adults would constitute 21% of the global population, the majority being in developing countries. In Lebanon, a middle-income country in the Middle-East, older adults are expected to reach 25% of its total population. Methodology: We compared 740 women and men aged ≥60 years on their activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and physical tasks (PT), with the aim of looking at gender differences. Analysis of covariance adjusting for possible predictors was conducted in a staged fashion to examine their role in explaining gender differences. Results: Findings showed consistent female disadvantage in all three self–reported measures of disability. Women were less likely than men to use assistive devices and receive personal support. Gender differences in performing ADL and PT were mainly explained by differences in health conditions (OR=1.42; 95%CI=0.91–2.23 and OR=1.14; 95%CI=0.77–1.69, respectively). However, the odds of reporting difficulty in IADL remained higher for women even after adjusting for other covariates (OR=3.39; 95%CI=1.67–6.89). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that ADL and PT were gender neutral whereas IADL was sensitive to gender roles. Quality of life and availability of health care services should be assessed with an emphasis on aging women due to their greater disability compared with men. Early identification of this population with probable disabling conditions is a way to reduce the progressive functional decline and promote successful aging.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Assess the prevalence of physical disability in its three domains, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), and physical tasks (PT) among both women and men
• 2.Evaluate the differential in reporting physical disability by gender
• 3.Identify the correlates, socio-demographic, socio-economic, chronic-disease risk factors, co-morbidities, and social and physical environmental factors that are associated with each of the three domains of physical disability by gender
• 4.Examine whether any of the three domains of physical disability, ADL, IADL, or PT are characterized by gender role

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.