title: Prevalence and correlates of disability among older Ugandans: evidence from the Uganda National Household Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nationally representative evidence on the burden and determinants of disability among older people in sub-Saharan Africa in general, and Uganda in particular, is limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and investigate the correlates of disability among older people in Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted secondary analysis of data from a sample of 2,382 older persons from the Uganda National Household Survey. Disability was operationalized as either: 1) having a lot of difficulty on any one question; 2) being unable to perform on any one question; or, 3) having some difficulty with two of the six domains. We used frequency distributions for description, chi-square tests for initial associations, and multivariable logistic regressions to assess the associations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A third of the older population was disabled. Among all older persons, disability was associated with advancement in age (OR=4.91, 95% CI: 3.38-7.13), rural residence (0.56, 0.37-0.85), living alone (1.56, 1.07-2.27), separated or divorced (1.96, 1.31-2.94) or widowed (1.86, 1.32-2.61) marital status, households' dependence on remittances (1.48, 1.10-1.98), ill health (2.48, 1.95-3.15), and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (1.81, 0.80-2.33). Gender was not associated with disability among older persons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disability was associated with advancement in age, rural residence, living alone, divorced/separated/widowed marital status, dependence on remittances, ill health, and NCDs. Interventions to improve health and functioning of older people need to focus on addressing social inequalities and on the early preventive interventions and management of NCDs in old age in Uganda.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Studies, School of Statistics and Planning, College of Business and Management Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; swandera@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Stephen O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Wandera
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Studies, School of Statistics and Planning, College of Business and Management Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ntozi
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Studies, School of Statistics and Planning, College of Business and Management Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Betty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kwagala
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Uganda; disability; non-communicable diseases; older people; socio-economic vulnerability