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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: Health Aff (Millwood). 2016 Aug 1;35(8):1351–1358. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1247

Exhibit 2.

Age-adjusted Percentages of US Whites and Blacks Ages 65 and Older with Specific Types of Activity Limitations, 1982, 2004, and 2011


White
Black
Tests
Tests
1982 2004 2011 82 vs. 04 04 vs. 11 82 vs. 11 1982 2004 2011 82 vs. 04 04 vs. 11 82 vs. 11

Severity % % % p p p % % % p p p
Any Limitation 26.3 19.6 22.1 *** *** *** 35.0 25.2 32.1 *** *** **
Moderate 12.4 10.1 12.3 *** *** 19.5 11.4 17.7 *** ***
Severe 6.7 5.8 6.9 *** *** 10.9 8.7 10.0 *
Nursing facility 7.2 3.6 2.9 *** *** *** 4.6 5.1 4.4

Personal care activity limitations

Eating 6.5 3.9 3.8 *** *** 5.8 5.8 6.0
Getting in or out of bed 8.8 5.5 6.2 *** ** *** 9.4 8.9 9.8
Getting in or out of chairs 9.4 6.4 6.8 *** *** 9.8 9.4 11.3 *
Walking around inside 12.3 8.9 7.7 *** *** *** 14.8 12.5 11.4 * ***
Going outside 16.1 11.9 11.7 *** *** 21.1 16.2 17.2 *** ***
Dressing 8.8 5.6 6.8 *** *** *** 10.4 8.7 11.5 * ***
Bathing 11.2 7.3 7.5 *** *** 13.4 10.4 12.2 ***
Toileting 8.2 5.3 5.2 *** *** 9.6 8.5 9.4

Household activity limitations

Prepare meals 11.1 7.3 7.5 *** *** 14.8 11.6 13.0 *** *
Laundry 13.3 7.9 8.5 *** *** 18.9 12.8 15.0 *** * ***
Light housework 10.4 6.8 6.6 *** *** 13.5 11.2 12.8 *** **
Shop for groceries 16.8 10.8 11.2 *** *** 22.8 15.7 18.1 *** * ***
Manage money 10.0 6.7 7.6 *** ** *** 13.3 11.1 13.3 ** **
Take medicine 8.6 5.9 6.6 *** * *** 9.9 9.7 11.4
Make telephone calls 9.4 5.5 4.9 *** * *** 12.6 8.2 8.2 *** ***

SOURCE: Authors’ analysis of the 1982 and 2004 National Long Term Care Survey and the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study.

NOTE: Estimates adjusted to the age distribution for whites based on the 2010 US Census. Moderate is defined as limited in only household activities or 1-2 personal care activities; severe is defined as limited in 3 or more personal care activities. Personal care limitations are defined as having any problem (or can’t do or doesn’t do) an activity without help; household limitations are defined as being unable to do an activity without help because of a disability or health problem. Individuals in nursing facilities were assumed to have all limitations.

*

p<.10

**

p<.05

***

p<.01 for tests of difference.