EDUCATIONAL-ATTAINMENT AND TRANSITIONS IN FUNCTIONAL STATUS AMONG OLDER TAIWANESE

Despite considerable research examining the influence of socioeconomic status on health, few studies have considered this relationship as it pertains to older adults in non-Western societies. We attempt to asce rtain the influence of education on changes in physical functioning in a rapidly developing country. Data come from the 1989 Survey of Healt h and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan and a follow-up interview in 1993 (N = 4,049, age = 60+). Individuals are conceptualized to be in a state of functional independence or functional limitation at the time of origin, based on their ability to perform three physical funct ioning tasks. The outcome at the follow-up interview is categorized as functionally independent, limited, or dead, allowing for six probabil ities, one from each state of origin to each outcome. These are calcul ated using a multinomial logit model, controlling for other factors of ten thought to be associated with health transitions. High levels of e ducational attainment result in a decreased incidence of functional li mitation for those originating in a stare of independence. Contrary to expectations, however, education has little influence on those who or iginate functionally limited. Thus, higher education plays a substanti al role in primary prevention of morbidity, delaying the onset of disa bility, but other factors are more important once limitations begin. W e speculate on the reasons behind these findings, including that the r esults may be culturally dependent.