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Recorded presentation

Deborah Gangluff, ScD¹, Vanessa Nehus, MS¹, Andrea Hart, PhD², and Shalini Manjanatha, MS³. (1) Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 2001 Pershing Circle, Suite 300, North Little Rock, AR 72114, 501-682-9898, gangluffdeborahl@uams.edu, (2) Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 2001 Pershing Circle, Suite 300, North Little Rock, AR 72114, (3) Health Statistics, Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services, P. O. Box 1437, Little Rock, AR 72203

Chronic diseases can cause major impairments in functioning. The purpose of this study was to examine relations between chronic disease and disability. Ettinger, et al (1994) reported a high degree of consistency (91%) between chronic diseases and symptoms causing disabilities. Arthritis and heart disease impaired ability to perform daily living tasks. Valderrama-Gama et al (2002) reported that chronic diseases strongly associated with disability were heart disease and diabetes, and a large proportion attributed their disability to arthritis.

The 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from Arkansas was analyzed looking at the variables of self-reported disability (“Are you limited in any way in any activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems?”) and chronic disease ( “yes” to chronic diseases: diabetes, arthritis, stroke, and heart attack). Those that reported a disability were asked to identify the major impairment or health problem that caused activity limitations.

Results indicate that adults with disabilities have higher rates of chronic disease than adults without disabilities. When compared with national rates, Arkansans with disabilities have higher rates of all examined chronic diseases. The chronic disease most often identified for Arkansans as well as nationally was arthritis. Arkansans with disabilities reported high arthritis rates of 61%, of those 31% indicated that arthritis was their primary disabling disease. Although heart attack rates were lower among people with disabilities at 13%, when heart attacks occurred, 37% indicated it as their major disabling factor. This presentation will display charts to demonstrate results.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the percentage of chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, and heart attach) in adults with disabilities living in Arkansas, using 2001 BRFSS data.
• Compare Arkansas and national rates of adults with chronic diseases and disabilities using the 2001 BRFSS data.
• Identify the chronic disease that adults with disabilities report as a cause of major impairment that limits activities.

Keywords: Disability, Chronic Diseases

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation