Family reciprocity of older Singaporeans.

Reciprocity is a powerful motivation in social life. We study what older people give to their family for help received. Data are from the Panel on Health and Aging of Singaporean Elderly, Wave 2 (2011; persons aged 62+;  = 3103).

Aging With Disability for Midlife and Older Adults.

This analysis brings "aging with disability" into middle and older ages. We study U.S.

Disability Experience and Measurement.

Top themes of international research on disability in the past three decades are discussed: disability dynamics, buffers and barriers for disability, disability trends, and disability among very old persons. Each theme is highlighted by research examples. Turning to measurement, I discuss traditional measures of disability, new longer and shorter ones, and composites like disability-free life expectancy, noting their merits.

Disability Rises Gradually for a Cohort of Older Americans.

Objectives: We study changes in average disability over nearly two decades for a large epidemiological cohort of older Americans. As some people exit by mortality, do average disability levels for the living cohort rise rapidly, rise gradually, stay steady, or decline?

Method: Data are from the Study of Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) cohort for 1993-2010. Cohort members are aged 70+ in 1993 (mean = 77.

Midlife trends in activities and disability.

Objectives: This is the first analysis that demonstrates empirically the likely tie between activities (time spent) and disability (health-related difficulty in activities). We compare trends in activities and disability for Americans ages 55 to 69 in recent years, and assess cross-sectional linkages of activities and disability.

Methods: Data are from the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal survey of community-dwelling U.

Trajectories of functional change among long stayers in nursing homes: does baseline impairment matter?

Objective: This study reports findings on functional change trajectories for long-stay residents by examining the effects of baseline medical conditions and functional status on changes in physical impairment across residents' length of stay (LOS).

Method: A 5% sample of nursing home residents from Michigan from 1999 through 2003 was used to create longitudinal episodes of care including Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear models.

Living alone: elderly Chinese Singaporeans.

Asian societies maintain the norm that older people should live with their children. Yet some older people live alone. This is the first study to explore social isolation, strategies of coping, and preferences about living arrangements among Chinese Singaporeans aged 65+ who live alone.

Arthritis disability and heart disease disability.

Objective: Arthritis is the most common health condition in midlife and late life, and heart disease is the leading cause of death. This article compares disability impacts of these 2 preeminent health problems.

Methods: Using data from the National Health Interview Survey Disability Supplement, we studied specific limitations and disabilities, accommodations used (buffers), and accommodations needed (barriers) for US population groups of adults with arthritis disability, heart disease disability, both arthritis and heart disease disability, and disability due to other conditions.

Profile of arthritis disability: II.

Objective: Arthritis is the most common chronic condition and the most common cause of disability among older US adults. We studied social participation, disabilities in many life domains, accommodations used (buffers), and accommodations needed (barriers) for US adults with arthritis disability compared with adults with disability from other conditions.

Methods: The data source is the National Health Interview Survey Disability Supplement Phase Two.

Disability symptoms and the price of self-sufficiency.

Objective: Disability symptoms are tiredness, slowness, and pain doing daily tasks made difficult by health. The authors study factors that increase and decrease disability symptoms, especially effects of equipment and personal assistance.

Method: In National Health Interview Survey Disability Supplement Phase 2, people with personal care and household management disabilities were asked about fatigue, taking a long time, and pain when doing tasks on their own and with assistance.

Prospective study of swimmer's itch incidence and severity.

This epidemiologic study reports incidence, severity, and risk factors of swimmer's itch (cercarial dermatitis). Daily diaries about water exposures and swimmer's itch symptoms were completed by 40 riparian households at Douglas Lake, Michigan, for July 2000. Minutes spent in the water, minutes in shallow water, location, time of day, preventive action, age, and gender were recorded for all residents and guests.

Severity, timing, and structure of disability.

Objectives: Severity and timing are key aspects of disability experience for individuals. They also generate a population's disability structure (prevalence, counts, patterns). We study links among severity, duration, and structure for community-dwelling adults in the US.

Swimmer's itch: incidence and risk factors.

Swimmer's itch (cercarial dermatitis) affects people engaged in open-water activities. We report incidence and risk factors for a US lake. Water exposures and swimmer's itch experience were reported daily for riparian household residents and guests at Douglas Lake, Michigan, in July 2000.

Use, type, and efficacy of assistance for disability.

Objectives: Personal and equipment assistance are often used to reduce disability. This study predicts use of assistance, type of assistance, and its efficacy (improvement with assistance) for disabilities in personal care and household management tasks.

Methods: U.