The prevalence of person-perceived participation restriction in community-dwelling older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence, nature and distribution of person-perceived participation restriction, in community-dwelling older adults.


METHODS
Population based cross-sectional postal survey of 11,055 adults aged 50 years and over in North Staffordshire, United Kingdom. Person-perceived participation restriction was measured using the Keele Assessment of Participation which covers 11 different aspects of life mapped to the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning. Four-week period prevalence was calculated for restriction in any, multiple and for each aspect separately. Prevalence estimates were calculated for the total sample, and for each age and gender stratum.


RESULTS
A total of 7,878 subjects responded (adjusted response--71.3%). The 4-week period prevalence of any participation restriction was 51.8%; 3.3% had substantial restriction. Participation restriction increased with age (p<0.001) and, for moderate and substantial restriction, was more frequent in women. The prevalence of restricted participation in individual aspects of life ranged from 3.8% (work) to 25.9% (mobility outside the home).


CONCLUSIONS
Some restriction of participation 'as and when we want it' is common in the general population and increases with age, although severe restriction only affects a minority. The distribution of person-perceived participation restriction is similar to that of impairments and activity limitation in community-dwelling older adults.
Wilkie
Ross
R
Primary Care Sciences Research Centre, Keele Universtity, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom. r.wilkie@cphc.keele.ac.uk
Peat
George
G
Thomas
Elaine
E
Croft
Peter
P
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom