Functional limitation among middle age and older adults: Exploring cross-national gender disparities.
Arch Gerontol Geriatr
; 123: 105410, 2024 08.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38503129
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Functional limitations are prevalent among aging demographics, especially women. Structural and health factors, which vary worldwide, influence rates of functional limitations. Yet, gender disparities in functional limitation remain unclear in a global context.METHODS:
We use 2018 data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) international family of studies with respondents ages 50-64 and (n = 87,479) and 65-89 (n = 92,145) to investigate gender disparities in large muscle functional limitation (LMFL) across 10 countries/regions using mixed effects logistic regression, with special attention to structural indicators of inequality and health.RESULTS:
Among both women and men, LMFL was generally higher in China, India, Mexico, United States, and Baltic States than in England, Scandinavia, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe. The gender disparity in LMFL gradually declined at older ages in India, China, Mexico, and United States, while this disparity gradually increased at older ages throughout Europe. Among middle age respondents, the greater risk of LMFL for women in countries/regions with a high GII was no longer observed after accounting for comorbidities. Among older respondents, a lower risk of LMFL for women in countries/regions with a high GII was not observed until accounting for comorbidities.DISCUSSION:
Our findings suggest that rates of LMFL are higher in middle-income countries than high-income countries, especially among women, and in countries with a higher GII. In addition, consideration of comorbidities was integral to these relationships. Thus, national/regional contexts inform differential rates of functional limitation, particularly as it relates to gender.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Health Status Disparities
Limits:
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Mexico
Language:
En
Journal:
Arch Gerontol Geriatr
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Country of publication:
Netherlands