TABLE 2—
1987 (NMES/NHIS), % | 1994–1995 (NHIS), % | 2000 (MEPS), % | 2008 (MEPS), % | Percentage Point Change | Pa | |
Age 25–64 y | ||||||
Primary activity | ||||||
Major activity | 6.6 | 7.3 | 5.7 | 6.3 | −0.3 | <.001 |
Social activity | … | 3.4 | 3.5 | 0.1 | .387 | |
Physical activity | ||||||
Self-care | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | .084 |
Routine needs | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 0 | .003 |
Walkingb | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 1.3 | .001 |
Bendingc | … | 5.1 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 1.1 | .001 |
Lifting | … | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 0 | .056 |
Standing | … | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 0.8 | .009 |
Reaching | … | 2.2 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 1.6 | <.001 |
Dexterity | … | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 0.1 | .785 |
Mental health | ||||||
Depressed mood | 29.8 | … | 29.2 | 25.0 | −4.8 | <.001 |
Anxiety | 34.3 | … | 27.3 | 39.6 | 5.2 | <.001 |
Sensory | ||||||
Vision | 9.7 | … | 4.2 | 4.8 | −4.9 | <.001 |
Hearing | 5.8 | … | 3.6 | 4.5 | −1.3 | <.001 |
Pain | … | … | 41.5 | 42.1 | 0.6 | .691 |
Cognitive | … | … | 2.4 | 3.1 | 0.7 | .238 |
Low energy | … | … | 54.9 | 43.9 | −11.0 | .501 |
Behavioral risk factors | ||||||
Current smoker | 32.7 | 29.0 | 26.9 | 26.0 | −6.7 | <.001 |
Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) | 23.5 | 26.7 | 32.6 | 36.4 | 12.9 | <.001 |
Age ≥ 65 y | ||||||
Primary activity | ||||||
Major activity | 28.3 | 28.1 | 22.6 | 22.5 | −5.8 | .237 |
Social activity | … | … | 11.3 | 11.1 | −0.1 | .938 |
Physical activity | ||||||
Self-care | 9.7 | 10.9 | 10.1 | 8.6 | −1.1 | .233 |
Routine needs | 15.8 | 17.0 | 14.6 | 13.6 | −2.2 | .001 |
Walkingb | 33.1 | 30.1 | 29.1 | 29.3 | −3.8 | .606 |
Bendingc | … | 22.2 | 26.3 | 26.6 | 4.4 | .001 |
Lifting | … | 19.8 | 22.1 | 21.0 | 1.2 | .002 |
Standing | … | 22.8 | 26.5 | 25.6 | 2.8 | .002 |
Reaching | … | 10.7 | 19.7 | 18.0 | 7.2 | <.001 |
Dexterity | … | 9.0 | 13.1 | 11.6 | 2.6 | .961 |
Mental health | ||||||
Depressed mood | 34.8 | … | 30.7 | 23.5 | −6.7 | <.001 |
Anxiety | 36.6 | … | 25.6 | 28.2 | −12.7 | <.001 |
Sensory | ||||||
Vision | 28.3 | … | 11.8 | 10.8 | −17.5 | <.001 |
Hearing | 21.7 | … | 20.5 | 20.1 | −1.6 | .563 |
Pain | … | … | 67.1 | 64.7 | −2.4 | .042 |
Cognitive | … | … | 7.5 | 9.4 | 1.9 | .032 |
Low energy | … | … | 69.6 | 54.2 | −15.4 | .007 |
Behavioral risk factors | ||||||
Current smoker | 12.8 | 10.4 | 10.1 | 8.2 | −4.6 | <.001 |
Obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) | 20.2 | 24.3 | 30.1 | 32.7 | 12.5 | <.001 |
Note. BMI = body mass index (defined as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters); MEPS = Medical Expenditure Panel Survey; NHIS = National Health Interview Survey; NMES = National Medical Expenditure Survey. Rates of all impairments, symptoms, and behavioral risk factors are shown adjusted to the 2000 population distribution by 10-year age groups. These are predicted rates from regression models using 10-year age categories, gender, race (Black or White), gender × race, and smoking and BMI categories. Analyses in MEPS (2000–2008) were in pooled data with dummy variables for survey year, interacted with age. Excluded were those of “other” race (not White or Black), those with a BMI less than 18.5, and those with incomplete data on smoking and BMI. In NHIS, where a large portion of the samples (51% in 1987, 74% in 1994–1995) were missing smoking status because of only 1 adult per household being asked about it in a supplement (in all households in 1987 and half of households in 1994–1995), we included a dummy variable for missing on smoking in the regressions to avoid losing data on these individuals. P values are for a variable with levels representing years from the time when the symptom or impairment was first measured. We estimated risk factor rates from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.
We tested significance of changes in the noninstitutionalized population by using logistic regressions, controlling for 10-year age group, gender, race, gender × race, and BMI–smoking category.
Walking rates excluding difficulty walking a mile. Rates including walking a mile for age 25–64 years were 6.0% in 2000 and 6.8% in 2008 (P = .001). For age ≥ 65 years, rates including 1 mile were 30.9% and 31.5% (P = .641).
Bending and lifting were asked as part of a combined question in 1987, and rates of these limitations combined were 13% for the nonelderly and 47% for age ≥ 65 years. Decline for bending and lifting combined from 1987 to 2008, was significant (P <.001) for both ages 25–64 years and ≥ 65 years.