Methods and prevalence of ADL limitations in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white subjects in rural Colorado: The San Luis Valley health and aging study

PURPOSE: The Hispanic population in the United States is the fastest growin g minority group, yet there is little understanding of the disability patte rns that occur as this population ages. We conducted a cross-sectional stud y to define the prevalence of limitations of activities of daily living (AD L) and measures of observed function. METHODS: We censussed two rural counties in southern Colorado and selected a stratified sample of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic white (NHW) residents ; 81.6% completed the protocol. RESULTS: Among the 1250 subjects aged 65 years and older, Hispanic elderly living in the community had greater ADL disability than NHW subjects, both for any difficulty (P = 0.006), and for needing assistance (p = 0.002). His panic persons were less likely to reside in nursing homes (3.4%) compared w ith NHW persons (9.3%). Hispanic elderly had excess prevalence of dependent ADL tasks (needs assistance or unable to do), (age, gender-adjusted odds r atio = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.01-1.92) in community dwelling and nursing home res idents combined. There was no Hispanic excess of less severe difficulty com pared with NHW persons, and there was a similar prevalence of limitation on observed functional tasks (timed walk, stooping, rising from a chair) in b oth groups. CONCLUSIONS: There was a modest Hispanic excess of reported dependent ADL l imitation, and no excess of observed functional difficulties. Hispanics ent er older age with much less income and education, yet they do not have a ma rked excess prevalence of limitations in activities of daily living when co mpared with NHW persons living in the same area. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.