RESUMO
Objective: The association of family and social factors with the level of functional limitations was examined across the United States, Mexico, and Korea. Method: Participants included adults from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study (n = 10,017), Mexican Health and Aging Study (n = 6,367), and Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (n = 4,134). A common functional limitation scale was created based on Rasch analysis with a higher score indicating better physical function. Results: The American older adults (3.65 logits) had better physical function compared with Mexican (2.81 logits) and Korean older adults (1.92 logits). There were different associations of family and social factors with functional limitations across the three countries. Discussion: The American older adults demonstrated less functional limitation compared with Mexican and Korean older adults at the population level. The findings indicate the need to interpret carefully the individual family and social factors associated with functional limitations within the unique context of each country.
Assuntos
Família , Desempenho Físico Funcional , Fatores Sociais , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Envelhecimento , Feminino , Humanos , Estudos Longitudinais , Masculino , México , República da Coreia/epidemiologia , Aposentadoria , Inquéritos e Questionários , Estados UnidosRESUMO
PURPOSE: Cross-national comparisons of patterns of population aging have emerged as comparable national micro-data have become available. This study creates a metric using Rasch analysis and determines the health of American and Mexican older adult populations. METHODS: Secondary data analysis using representative samples aged 50 and older from 2012 U.S. Health and Retirement Study (n = 20,554); 2012 Mexican Health and Aging Study (n = 14,448). We developed a function measurement scale using Rasch analysis of 22 daily tasks and physical function questions. We tested psychometrics of the scale including factor analysis, fit statistics, internal consistency, and item difficulty. We investigated differences in function using multiple linear regression controlling for demographics. Lastly, we conducted subgroup analyses for chronic conditions. RESULTS: The created common metric demonstrated a unidimensional structure with good item fit, an acceptable precision (person reliability = 0.78), and an item difficulty hierarchy. The American adults appeared less functional than adults in Mexico (ß = - 0.26, p < 0.0001) and across two chronic conditions (arthritis, ß = - 0.36; lung problems, ß = - 0.62; all p < 0.05). However, American adults with stroke were more functional than Mexican adults (ß = 0.46, p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: The Rasch model indicates that Mexican adults were more functional than Americans at the population level and across two chronic conditions (arthritis and lung problems). Future studies would need to elucidate other factors affecting the function differences between the two countries.