THE ASSOCIATION OF DISABILITY WITH LONG-TERM-CARE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE ELDERLY

Data from the 1986/87 Health and Activity Limitation Survey (HALS) were used to examine the relationship between reported disabilities and institutionalization. Odds ratios obtained through logistic regression analyses were utilized to estimate the strength and direction of the associations between the various disabilities, age, gender, and institutionalization. An analysis of types and combinations of disabilities which are most strongly associated with institutionalization indicate that persons with disabilities regarding agility, mental functioning or speech have higher odds of institutionalization. The analyses of the relationship between number of disabilities and institutionalization suggest an exponential relationship, a greater rate of institutionalization with age and a higher rate for women than for men.