title: [Analysis of disability-free life expectancy over the lifespan: from maturity to old age].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the life stages in which disability-free life expectancy is shortened before the age of 70 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective longitudinal analysis was carried out in a cohort of 1,286 non-institutionalized people aged from 70 to 74 years old living in metropolitan areas. Disability was measured by instrumental and basic activities of daily living. Disability-free life expectancy was calculated. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival probabilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of basic disability increased from 50 to 54 years old and progressively accelerated until the age of 65-69 years old when the probability of instrumental disability was slightly higher among men than among women (0.23 in men versus 0.19 in women). Disability-free survival was lower among women than among men both for all types of disability (LogRank = 5.80; p = 0.016) and for basic disability (LogRank = 4.315; p = 0.038).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reveals the importance of instrumental disability for domestic tasks among older men. Women had a lower probability of disability-free survival and were more likely to be affected by any type of disability as well as by basic disability. For both genders, there is a slight decrease in disability-free survival from the age of 40 to 60 years. From this age onwards, this decrease markedly accelerates.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Lleida, Lleida, España. miguel.escobar@infermeria.udl.cat
authors.forename: Miguel Ángel
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Escobar Bravo
authors.forename: M Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Puga González
authors.forename: Monserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martín Baranera
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult