title: What are the specific disability and limitation types underlying responses to the BRFSS disability questions?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Researchers rely on resources such as BRFSS data to understand the health status of people with disability. However, the survey data rely on a limited definition of disability resulting in imprecise inferences about the nature of disability. Understanding how health varies among people with different types of disability is vital to tailoring interventions for improving health and eliminating disparities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to utilize state added follow-up questions in the 2011 South Carolina BRFSS to describe the specific health conditions and limitations attributed to their disability and to compare health status across different types of disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants reporting a disability were asked to name health condition(s) causing disability and describe their disability-related limitations. Descriptive statistics were calculated using weighted proportions. Logistic regression was used to model the associations of specific health conditions and limitations with the outcomes of self-rated general health and mental health status, controlling for demographic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5 most commonly reported health condition categories were (weighted percentage): musculoskeletal (68.56%); pulmonary (10.41%); neurologic (8.48%); heart disease (8%) and mental health (7.31%). The 5 most commonly reported limitation categories were: mobility/balance limitations (46.29%); pain (23.22%); breathing problems (12.36%); general weakness/fatigue (9.57%) and limited lifting (8.24%). There was substantial variation in the degree of association between categories of conditions and limitations and the outcomes of self-rated physical and mental health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Researchers and practitioners should consider variability in the nature of disability when designing interventions to improve the health of people with a disability.
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina, School of Medicine, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, 3209 Colonial Drive, Columbia, SC 29203, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.affiliation: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control - Division of Biostatistics, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, USA.
authors.forename: Pallavi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balte
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. Electronic address: clarksog@mailbox.sc.edu.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clarkson
authors.affiliation: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control - Division of Biostatistics, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201, USA.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nitcheva
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine Leigh
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McDermott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D017770:Lifting; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004856:Postural Balance; D015995:Prevalence; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: BRFSS; Conditions; Disability; Limitations