title: Assistive technology and self-rated health in comparison with age peers: a longitudinal study in 55-64-year-olds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine changes in self-rated health in comparison with age peers (SRH-AP) among 55-64-year-olds, as affected by (1) initiating, (2) ceasing, and (3) prolonging the use of assistive technology (AT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data included two national cohorts of 55-64-year-olds from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (total N = 1968), with baseline cycles in 1992-93 and 2002-03 and 3-year follow-ups. The effect of AT use on SRH-AP was studied in analyses of variance for repeated measurements, adjusting for age and self-reported disability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents using AT reported poorer SRH-AP than respondents not using AT. Over time disability increased for respondents prolonging and initiating AT use and decreased for respondents ceasing AT use. No major changes were seen in SRH-AP over time, except for a small improvement for respondents prolonging AT use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AT use had a negative influence on SRH-AP, but this influence subsided over time for prolonged AT use. Despite longitudinal changes in disability, there was a marked stability of SRH-AP over time which may be attributed to AT use. Implications for Rehabilitation Both the proportion of 55-64-year-olds using AT and the proportion reporting disability was significantly higher in the recent cohort as compared to the early cohort. 55-64-Year-olds not using AT rated their health compared with age peers (SRH-AP) better than those using AT. 55-64-Year-olds who prolonged the use of AT reported the poorest ratings of SRH-AP, but also showed the clearest improvement in SRH-AP, suggesting that the initial negative influence of AT use on SRH-AP may subside over time.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , LASA and.|b Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christel C L M
authors.initials: CCLM
authors.lastname: Boons
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , LASA and.
authors.forename: Karline
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van de Kamp
authors.affiliation: a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , LASA and.
authors.forename: Dorly J H
authors.initials: DJH
authors.lastname: Deeg
keywords: Assistive technology; comparison with age peers; quality of life; self-rated health; younger-old