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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Elizabeth K. Rasch, PT, MS¹, Jay Magaziner, PhD, MSHyg², Larry Magder, PhD, MPH², Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH³, Mary M. Rodgers, PT, PhD⁴, and Barbara M. Altman, PhD¹. (1) Office of Analysis and Epidemiology, National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Road, Room 6406, Hyattsville, MD 20782, 301-458-4248, ERasch@cdc.gov, (2) Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 660 West Redwood Street, Suite 200, Howard Hall, Baltimore, MD 21201, (3) Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 10 S. Pine Street, MSTF 8-34, Baltimore, MD 21201, (4) Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 100 Penn Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

Roughly 20% of community dwelling adults in the U.S report some type of limitation in functioning and the comorbid disease burden is high in this subpopulation. Nonetheless, Americans with disabilities are rarely considered as a distinct subpopulation in terms of health outcomes even though they are major consumers of health care resources. The current study examines the relationship between the occurrence of prevalent and incident health conditions and some potential consequences of these conditions in nationally representative groups of adults with mobility limitations, other limitations and no limitations. Consequences included: 1) the number of days spent in bed because of a physical illness, injury, or mental / emotional problem, and 2) health care utilization and expenditures. Secondary statistical analyses were performed using the 1996-97 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a longitudinal survey performed over a 2-year period, and the 1995 National Health Interview Survey Disability Supplement. The analytic sample included 12,302 non-institutionalized civilian MEPS adults (>18 years). Adults with mobility limitations had more health conditions and more untoward consequences of these conditions compared to other community dwelling adults. Nevertheless, they were not more likely than any other adults to experience most of the adverse effects of these conditions. Rather, the magnitude of adverse consequences was largely attributable to greater comorbidity in this subpopulation. This suggests that if disease burden could be reduced among adults with limitations through prevention of new (secondary) conditions, many adverse consequences could be avoided.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to describe some of the consequences of prevalent and incident (secondary) health conditions for community dwelling adults in the U.S. with mobility limitations compared to those with other limitations and without limitations and indicate the importance of these findings for public health.

Keywords: Disability, Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No