THE EFFECTS OF SPECIFIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS ON THE FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS OF ELDERS IN THE FRAMINGHAM-STUDY

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to identify associations bet ween specific medical conditions in the elderly and limitations in fun ctional tasks; to compare risks of disability across medical condition s, controlling for age, sex, and comorbidity; and to determine the pro portion of disability attributable to each condition. Methods. The sub jects were 709 noninstitutionalized men and 1060 women of the Framingh am Study cohort (mean age 73.7 +/- 6.3 years). Ten medical conditions were identified for study: knee osteoarthritis, hip fracture, diabetes , stroke, heart disease, intermittent claudication, congestive heart f ailure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depressive symptomatolo gy, and cognitive impairment. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated for dependence on human assistance in seven functional activities. Result s. Stroke was significantly associated with functional limitations in all seven tasks; depressive symptomatology and hip fracture were assoc iated with limitations in five tasks; and knee osteoarthritis, heart d isease, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary di sease, were associated with limitations in four tasks each. Conclusion s. In general, stroke, depressive symptomatology, hip fracture, knee o steoarthritis, and heart disease account for more physical disability in noninstitutionalized elderly men and women than other diseases.