THE ASSOCIATION OF DISABILITY WITH LONG-TERM-CARE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE ELDERLY

Data from the 1986/87 Health and Activity Limitation Survey (HALS) wer e used to examine the relationship between reported disabilities and i nstitutionalization. Odds ratios obtained through logistic regression analyses were utilized to estimate the strength and direction of the a ssociations between the various disabilities, age, gender, and institu tionalization. An analysis of types and combinations of disabilities w hich are most strongly associated with institutionalization indicate t hat persons with disabilities regarding agility, mental functioning or speech have higher odds of institutionalization. The analyses of the relationship between number of disabilities and institutionalization s uggest an exponential relationship, a greater rate of institutionaliza tion with age and a higher rate for women than for men.