MORBIDITY AND COMORBIDITY AMONG GREAT-LAKES AMERICAN-INDIANS - PREDICTORS OF FUNCTIONAL ABILITY

This article explores patterns of morbidity and comorbidity and their ability to predict functional disability among American Indian elders, using data from a sample of urban, rural off-reservation, and reserva tion Great Lakes American Indians age 55 and older. Higher rates are r eported of a number of chronic illnesses than found in overall samples of U.S. elders. Results of multiple regression analyses predicting In strumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) show age to be a consistent predictor of functional disa bilities: The CMI (Index of Comorbidity) was found to be a more useful predictor of functional disability than was the simple summation of t he number of chronic illnesses.