THE EFFECT OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS ON THE FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS OF MEXICAN-AMERICAN ELDERLY

We examined the relationship of self-reported functional status to com mon medical conditions using a probability sample of 3050 noninstituti onalized Mexican-American men and women aged 65 or older and residing in the Southwestern United States (Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas). All subjects were interviewed in person (n = 2,873 ) or by proxy (n = 177) in their homes during late 1993 and early 1994 . The questionnaire obtained information on self-reported Junctional s tatus and prevalence of arthritis, cancer, diabetes, stroke, heart att ack, and hip fracture. The prevalence of medical conditions ranged fro m 4.1% for hip fracture to 40.8% for arthritis. Prevalence of impairme nts in seven activities of daily living ranged from 5.4% for earing to 11.7% for bathing, while 25.1% could not walk up and down stairs, and 28.9% could not walk a half mile without help. In multiple logistic r egression analyses, previous diagnoses of stroke and hip fracture were most predictive of functional limitations, though all conditions exam ined (arthritis, cancer, diabetes, stroke, heart attack, and hip fract ure) were independently associated with increased odds of impairment i n some activities of daily living. In general, the odds for functional impairment associated with specific medical conditions were higher th an those previously published for non-Hispanic white populations. The fact that Mexican-American elderly who live in the community and who h ave medical conditions, especially stroke and hip fracture, are at hig h risk for functional impairment probably reflects the low rate of ins titutionalization in this population and has implications for the prov ision of community-based long-term care services for Mexican-American elderly. (C) 1996 by Elsevier Science Inc.