Longitudinal changes in functional capacity: effects of socio-economic position among ageing adults
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Health and functional capacity have improved especially in Western countries over the past few decades. Nevertheless, the positive secular trend has not been able to decrease an uneven distribution of health. The main aim of this s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2012-12-01
|
| Series: | International Journal for Equity in Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.equityhealthj.com/content/11/1/78 |
| _version_ | 1828495191792680960 |
|---|---|
| author | Sulander Tommi Heinonen Heikki Pajunen Tuuli Karisto Antti Pohjolainen Pertti Fogelholm Mikael |
| author_facet | Sulander Tommi Heinonen Heikki Pajunen Tuuli Karisto Antti Pohjolainen Pertti Fogelholm Mikael |
| author_sort | Sulander Tommi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Health and functional capacity have improved especially in Western countries over the past few decades. Nevertheless, the positive secular trend has not been able to decrease an uneven distribution of health. The main aim of this study was to follow-up changes in functional capacity among the same people in six years time and to detect whether the possible changes vary according to socio-economic position (SEP). In addition, it is of interest whether health behaviours have an effect on these possible changes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This longitudinal follow-up study consisted of 1,898 individuals from three birth cohorts (1926–1930, 1936–40, 1946–50) who took part in clinical check-ups and answered to a survey questionnaire in 2002 and 2008. A sub-scale of physical functioning from the RAND-36 was used to measure functional capacity. Education and adequacy of income were used as indicators of socio-economic position. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used as a main method of analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Physical functioning in 2002 and 2008 was poorest among those men and women belonging to the oldest cohort. Functional capacity deteriorated in six years among men in the oldest cohort and among women in all three cohorts. Socio-economic disparities in functional capacity among ageing people existed. Especially lower adequacy of income was most consistently associated with poorer functional capacity. However, changes in functional capacity by socio-economic position remained the same or even narrowed independent of health behaviours.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Socio-economic disparities in physical functioning are mainly incorporated in the level of functioning at the baseline. No widening socioeconomic disparities in functional capacity exist. Partly these disparities even seem to narrow with ageing.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T12:08:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3abd30f4b66943fcaeada7214b5863c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-9276 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T12:08:53Z |
| publishDate | 2012-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal for Equity in Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-3abd30f4b66943fcaeada7214b5863c72022-12-22T01:07:51ZengBMCInternational Journal for Equity in Health1475-92762012-12-011117810.1186/1475-9276-11-78Longitudinal changes in functional capacity: effects of socio-economic position among ageing adultsSulander TommiHeinonen HeikkiPajunen TuuliKaristo AnttiPohjolainen PerttiFogelholm Mikael<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Health and functional capacity have improved especially in Western countries over the past few decades. Nevertheless, the positive secular trend has not been able to decrease an uneven distribution of health. The main aim of this study was to follow-up changes in functional capacity among the same people in six years time and to detect whether the possible changes vary according to socio-economic position (SEP). In addition, it is of interest whether health behaviours have an effect on these possible changes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This longitudinal follow-up study consisted of 1,898 individuals from three birth cohorts (1926–1930, 1936–40, 1946–50) who took part in clinical check-ups and answered to a survey questionnaire in 2002 and 2008. A sub-scale of physical functioning from the RAND-36 was used to measure functional capacity. Education and adequacy of income were used as indicators of socio-economic position. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used as a main method of analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Physical functioning in 2002 and 2008 was poorest among those men and women belonging to the oldest cohort. Functional capacity deteriorated in six years among men in the oldest cohort and among women in all three cohorts. Socio-economic disparities in functional capacity among ageing people existed. Especially lower adequacy of income was most consistently associated with poorer functional capacity. However, changes in functional capacity by socio-economic position remained the same or even narrowed independent of health behaviours.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Socio-economic disparities in physical functioning are mainly incorporated in the level of functioning at the baseline. No widening socioeconomic disparities in functional capacity exist. Partly these disparities even seem to narrow with ageing.</p>http://www.equityhealthj.com/content/11/1/78Functional capacitySocio-economic positionAgeingLongitudinal |
| spellingShingle | Sulander Tommi Heinonen Heikki Pajunen Tuuli Karisto Antti Pohjolainen Pertti Fogelholm Mikael Longitudinal changes in functional capacity: effects of socio-economic position among ageing adults International Journal for Equity in Health Functional capacity Socio-economic position Ageing Longitudinal |
| title | Longitudinal changes in functional capacity: effects of socio-economic position among ageing adults |
| title_full | Longitudinal changes in functional capacity: effects of socio-economic position among ageing adults |
| title_fullStr | Longitudinal changes in functional capacity: effects of socio-economic position among ageing adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Longitudinal changes in functional capacity: effects of socio-economic position among ageing adults |
| title_short | Longitudinal changes in functional capacity: effects of socio-economic position among ageing adults |
| title_sort | longitudinal changes in functional capacity effects of socio economic position among ageing adults |
| topic | Functional capacity Socio-economic position Ageing Longitudinal |
| url | http://www.equityhealthj.com/content/11/1/78 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sulandertommi longitudinalchangesinfunctionalcapacityeffectsofsocioeconomicpositionamongageingadults AT heinonenheikki longitudinalchangesinfunctionalcapacityeffectsofsocioeconomicpositionamongageingadults AT pajunentuuli longitudinalchangesinfunctionalcapacityeffectsofsocioeconomicpositionamongageingadults AT karistoantti longitudinalchangesinfunctionalcapacityeffectsofsocioeconomicpositionamongageingadults AT pohjolainenpertti longitudinalchangesinfunctionalcapacityeffectsofsocioeconomicpositionamongageingadults AT fogelholmmikael longitudinalchangesinfunctionalcapacityeffectsofsocioeconomicpositionamongageingadults |