Skip to main content
PMC home page
Public Health Reports logoLink to Public Health Reports
. 2001;116(Suppl 1):157–179. doi: 10.1093/phr/116.S1.157

Profile of arthritis disability.

L M Verbrugge 1, L Juarez 1
PMCID: PMC1913669  PMID: 11889283

Abstract

Using the 1994-95 National Health Interview Supplement Disability Supplement, the authors study levels of disabilities and accommodations among US adults with arthritis disability, compared to people with disability due to other conditions. Arthritis-disabled people are defined in two ways. One definition covers a broad range of arthritis and rheumatic conditions, and the other concentrates solely on arthritis. The authors find that arthritis-disabled people have more total disabilities than other-disabled peop e. However, their disabilities are less severe, have shorter durations, and accumulate more gradually over time. Despite more disabilities, people with arthritis disability use fewer assistive and service accommodations than other-disabled people. They do use more mobility aids. Because arthritis is the leading chronic condition for middle-aged and older adults, th s profile of extensive but mild-to-moderate disability is experienced by many millions of adults. Accommodations for arthritis may also be extensive but aimed more toward self-care than toward assistive and medical services.

Full text

PDF
157

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Boult C., Kane R. L., Louis T. A., Boult L., McCaffrey D. Chronic conditions that lead to functional limitation in the elderly. J Gerontol. 1994 Jan;49(1):M28–M36. doi: 10.1093/geronj/49.1.m28. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Callahan L. F., Rao J., Boutaugh M. Arthritis and women's health: prevalence, impact, and prevention. Am J Prev Med. 1996 Sep-Oct;12(5):401–409. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Felts W., Yelin E. The economic impact of the rheumatic diseases in the United States. J Rheumatol. 1989 Jul;16(7):867–884. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Fried L. P., Ettinger W. H., Lind B., Newman A. B., Gardin J. Physical disability in older adults: a physiological approach. Cardiovascular Health Study Research Group. J Clin Epidemiol. 1994 Jul;47(7):747–760. doi: 10.1016/0895-4356(94)90172-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Guccione A. A., Felson D. T., Anderson J. J., Anthony J. M., Zhang Y., Wilson P. W., Kelly-Hayes M., Wolf P. A., Kreger B. E., Kannel W. B. The effects of specific medical conditions on the functional limitations of elders in the Framingham Study. Am J Public Health. 1994 Mar;84(3):351–358. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.3.351. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Helmick C. G., Lawrence R. C., Pollard R. A., Lloyd E., Heyse S. P. Arthritis and other rheumatic conditions: who is affected now, who will be affected later? National Arthritis Data Workgroup. Arthritis Care Res. 1995 Dec;8(4):203–211. doi: 10.1002/art.1790080403. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Jette A. M., Branch L. G., Berlin J. Musculoskeletal impairments and physical disablement among the aged. J Gerontol. 1990 Nov;45(6):M203–M208. doi: 10.1093/geronj/45.6.m203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jette A. M., Branch L. G. Impairment and disability in the aged. J Chronic Dis. 1985;38(1):59–65. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(85)90008-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Lawrence R. C., Helmick C. G., Arnett F. C., Deyo R. A., Felson D. T., Giannini E. H., Heyse S. P., Hirsch R., Hochberg M. C., Hunder G. G. Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and selected musculoskeletal disorders in the United States. Arthritis Rheum. 1998 May;41(5):778–799. doi: 10.1002/1529-0131(199805)41:5<778::AID-ART4>3.0.CO;2-V. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Picavet H. S., van den Bos G. A. The contribution of six chronic conditions to the total burden of mobility disability in the Dutch population. Am J Public Health. 1997 Oct;87(10):1680–1682. doi: 10.2105/ajph.87.10.1680. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Pinsky J. L., Jette A. M., Branch L. G., Kannel W. B., Feinleib M. The Framingham Disability Study: relationship of various coronary heart disease manifestations to disability in older persons living in the community. Am J Public Health. 1990 Nov;80(11):1363–1367. doi: 10.2105/ajph.80.11.1363. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Verbrugge L. M. From sneezes to adieux: stages of health for American men and women. Soc Sci Med. 1986;22(11):1195–1212. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(86)90187-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Verbrugge L. M., Jette A. M. The disablement process. Soc Sci Med. 1994 Jan;38(1):1–14. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(94)90294-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Verbrugge L. M., Patrick D. L. Seven chronic conditions: their impact on US adults' activity levels and use of medical services. Am J Public Health. 1995 Feb;85(2):173–182. doi: 10.2105/ajph.85.2.173. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Yelin E. H., Felts W. R. A summary of the impact of musculoskeletal conditions in the United States. Arthritis Rheum. 1990 May;33(5):750–755. doi: 10.1002/art.1780330520. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Yelin E., Callahan L. F. The economic cost and social and psychological impact of musculoskeletal conditions. National Arthritis Data Work Groups. Arthritis Rheum. 1995 Oct;38(10):1351–1362. doi: 10.1002/art.1780381002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Public Health Reports are provided here courtesy of SAGE Publications

RESOURCES