Methods and prevalence of ADL limitations in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white subjects in rural Colorado: the San Luis Valley Health and Aging Study.
OBJECTIVE
The Hispanic population in the United States is the fastest growing minority group, yet there is little understanding of the disability patterns that occur as this population ages. We conducted a cross-sectional study to define the prevalence of limitations of activities of daily living (ADL) and measures of observed function.


METHODS
We censussed two rural counties in southern Colorado and selected a stratified sample of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic white (NHW) residents; 81.6% completed the protocol.


RESULTS
Among the 1250 subjects aged 65 years and older, Hispanic elderly living in the community had greater ADL disability than NHW subjects, both for any difficulty (p = 0.006), and for needing assistance (p = 0.002). Hispanic persons were less likely to reside in nursing homes (3.4%) compared with NHW persons (9.3%). Hispanic elderly had excess prevalence of dependent ADL tasks (needs assistance or unable to do), (age, gender-adjusted odds ratio = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.01-1.92) in community dwelling and nursing home residents combined. There was no Hispanic excess of less severe difficulty compared with NHW persons, and there was a similar prevalence of limitation on observed functional tasks (timed walk, stooping, rising from a chair) in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
There was a modest Hispanic excess of reported dependent ADL limitation, and no excess of observed functional difficulties. Hispanics enter older age with much less income and education, yet they do not have a marked excess prevalence of limitations in activities of daily living when compared with NHW persons living in the same area.
Hamman
R F
RF
Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver 80262, USA.
Mulgrew
C L
CL
Baxter
J
J
Shetterly
S M
SM
Swenson
C
C
Morgenstern
N E
NE
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology*; D003120:Colorado; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People