Measuring the impact of diabetes on life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy among older adults in Mexico.
OBJECTIVES. The aim of the present study is to investigate differences in total life expectancy (TLE), disability-free life expectancy (DFLE), disabled life expectancy (DLE), and personal care assistance between individuals with and without diabetes in Mexico.


METHODS
The sample was drawn from the nationally representative Mexican Health and Aging Study. Disability was assessed through a basic Activities of Daily Living (ADL) measure, the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale, and the Nagi physical performance measure. The Interpolation of Markov Chains method was used to estimate the impact of diabetes on TLE and DFLE.


RESULTS
Results indicate that diabetes reduces TLE at ages 50 and 80 by about 10 and 4 years, respectively. Diabetes is also associated with fewer years in good health. DFLE (based on ADL measures) at age 50 is 20.8 years (95% confidence interval [CI]: 19.2-22.3) for those with diabetes, compared with 29.9 years (95% CI: 28.8-30.9) for those without diabetes. Regardless of diabetes status, Mexican women live longer but face a higher disability burden than men.


CONCLUSIONS
Among older adults in Mexico, diabetes is associated with shorter TLE and DFLE. The negative effect of diabetes on the number of years lived, particularly in good health, creates significant economic, social, and individual costs for elderly Mexicans.
Andrade
Flávia C D
FC
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 123 Huff Hall, 1206 South Fourth Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA. fandrade@illinois.edu
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012944:Social Support