Impact of Age at Disability Onset on Health Status
Author Information
Author(s): Jamoom Eric W, Horner-Johnson Willi, Suzuki Rie, Andresen Elena M, Campbell Vincent A
Primary Institution: University of Florida
Hypothesis
Does the age at which a disability begins affect self-reported health status?
Conclusion
People who acquire disabilities later in life report worse health compared to those who have disabilities from an early age.
Supporting Evidence
- Disability onset after 21 years of age is associated with higher prevalence of fair/poor health.
- Adjusted odds ratios indicate significant health disparities based on age at disability onset.
- Early onset disability is linked to better self-reported health status.
Takeaway
If someone gets a disability when they are older, they might feel less healthy than someone who has had a disability since they were young.
Methodology
Analyzed data from the 1998-2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System using logistic regression.
Potential Biases
Potential recall bias regarding disability duration and subjective interpretation of disability status.
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional, which limits causal inferences, and relies on self-reported data, which may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 11,905 adults with disabilities from seven states and the District of Columbia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
(1.37, 1.68), (1.44, 1.94), (1.26, 1.86)
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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