Change in the Prevalence of Diseases Among Older Americans: 1984-1994

One explanation for the decrease in disability has been that diseases have become less disabling as their progression has been halted before disability; this is true of both heart disease and arthritis.

“One of the explanations for the decrease in disability has been that diseases have become less disabling as their progression has been halted before disability. This is true of both heart disease and arthritis, two of the most common causes of disability (Crimmins & Saito, 2000; Freedman et al., 2007).”

The prevalence of heart disease and stroke survivors increased in the population from the 1980s through the 1990s and for some age groups even more recently.

“As indicated previously, CVD incidence appears to be declining somewhat, at least recently, but many researchers have noted that the prevalence of heart disease and stroke survivors has increased in the population from the 1980s through the 1990s (Crimmins, 2004; Crimmins & Saito, 2000; Freedman & Martin, 2000) and for some age groups even more recently (Martin, Freedman, Schoeni, & Andreski, 2009”

For older persons, there have been fairly regular reports of improved functioning from reports of the prevalence of problems from the 1980s through the present.

“For older persons, there have been fairly regular reports of improved functioning from reports of the prevalence of problems from the 1980s through the present (Crimmins & Saito, 2000; Cutler, 2001; Freedman & Martin, 1998, 2000; Martin, Freedman, et al., 2010; Schoeni, Freedman, & Wallace, 2001).”

The proportion of the population with multiple diseases and the number of diseases comorbid in an older individual has increased.

“Although we have examined the increased prevalence in a number of individual diseases, we should note that the proportion of the population with multiple diseases and the number of diseases comorbid in an older individual has also increased (Crimmins & Saito, 2000).”

Much disability and functioning loss is caused by depression and mental illness, which the study did not consider.

“Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and musculoskeletal problems, cognitive loss, and obesity are major causes of functioning problems and disability; however, much disability and functioning loss is caused by depression and mental illness, which we have not considered here (Crimmins & Saito, 2000; Ettinger et al., 1994; Jagger et al., 2007; Martin et al., 2009).”

Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and musculoskeletal problems, cognitive loss, and obesity are major causes of functioning problems and disability.

“Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and musculoskeletal problems, cognitive loss, and obesity are major causes of functioning problems and disability; however, much disability and functioning loss is caused by depression and mental illness, which we have not considered here (Crimmins & Saito, 2000; Ettinger et al., 1994; Jagger et al., 2007; Martin et al., 2009).”