Differing determinants of disability trends among men and women aged 50 years and older

Ya-Mei Chen; Tung-Liang Chiang; Duan-Rung Chen; Yu-Kang Tu; Hsiao-Wei Yu; Wan-Yu Chiu

doi:10.1186/s12877-021-02574-3

Differing determinants of disability trends among men and women aged 50 years and older

BMC Geriatr. 2022 Jan 3;22(1):11. doi: 10.1186/s12877-021-02574-3.

Authors

Ya-Mei Chen¹, Tung-Liang Chiang², Duan-Rung Chen³, Yu-Kang Tu⁴, Hsiao-Wei Yu⁵, Wan-Yu Chiu²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Room 633, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan. chenyamei@ntu.edu.tw.
² Institute of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Room 633, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
³ Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Room 636, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
⁴ Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Room 539, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Gerontology and Health Care Management, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Room 1406, No. 261, Wenhua 1st Rd, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.

Abstract

Background: Researchers have emphasized the importance of examining how different factors affect men's and women's functional status over time. To date, the literature is unclear about whether sex affects the rate of change in disability in middle to older age. Researchers have further emphasized the importance of examining how different factors affect men's and women's functional status over time. We examined (a) sex differences in disability trends and (b) the determinants of the rate of change in disability for men and women 50 years and older.

Methods: This study utilized the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging Survey, a nationally representative database (four waves of survey data 1996-2007, N = 3429). We modeled and compared the differences in disability trends and the influences of determinants on trends among men and women using multiple-indicator and multiple-group latent growth curves modeling (LGCM). Equality constraints were imposed on 10 determinants across groups.

Results: Once disability began, women progressed toward greater disability 18% faster than men. Greater age added about 1.2 times the burden to the rate of change in disability for women than men (p < 0.001). More comorbidities also added significantly more burden to baseline disability and rate of change in disability among women than men (p < 0.001), but women benefited more from higher education levels in lower baseline disability and slower rate of change. Having a better social network was associated with lower baseline disability among women only (p < 0.05). For both men and women, physically active leisure-time activities were beneficial in lower baseline disability (p _{men and women} < 0.001) and rate of change in disability (p _men < 0.01; p _women < 0.05), with no significant differences between groups.

Conclusions: Age may widen the sex gap in the rate of change in disability. However, both sexes benefit from participating in leisure-time activities. Promoting health literacy improves health outcomes and physical function among women.

Keywords: Determinants; Disability trajectory; Leisure-time activities; Sex.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aging
Disabled Persons*
Female
Humans
Leisure Activities
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Surveys and Questionnaires