FURTHER EVIDENCE ON RECENT TRENDS IN THE PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE OF DISABILITY AMONG OLDER AMERICANS FROM 2 SOURCES - THE LSOA AND THE NHIS

The Longitudinal Study on Aging (LSOA) and the National Health Intervi ew Survey (NHIS) are used to examine change in the prevalence of disab ility from 1982 through 1993 for persons 70 years of age and over. Cha nges in the likelihood of becoming disabled and the likelihood of reco vering from disability also are investigated with the LSOA. There is s ome evidence for improving disability status among the old. The preval ence of disability is somewhat lower in more recent years in the NHIS; also, the incidence of disability is lower, and the rate of recovery higher during 1988-90 than in the 1984-86 interval. On the other hand, the prevalence of disability increases at some dates after 1984 in th e LSOA sample. In both datasets, there is fluctuation rather than a cl ear trend in the prevalence of disability. Continued steady improvemen t in rates of onset and recovery and a consistent trend toward improvi ng prevalence is needed before concluding that we are witnessing the b eginning of an ongoing trend toward improving health among the older p opulation.