TY - JOUR T1 - The difference-in-difference method: assessing the selection bias in the effects of neighborhood environment on health. JF - Economics and Human Biology Y1 - 2014 A1 - Irina B Grafova A1 - Vicki A Freedman A1 - Lurie, Nicole A1 - Kumar, Rizie A1 - Jeannette Rogowski KW - Neighborhoods AB - This paper uses the difference-in-difference estimation approach to explore the self-selection bias in estimating the effect of neighborhood economic environment on self-assessed health among older adults. The results indicate that there is evidence of downward bias in the conventional estimates of the effect of neighborhood economic disadvantage on self-reported health, representing a lower bound of the true effect. VL - 13 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23623818?dopt=Abstract ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Trends in late-life activity limitations in the United States: an update from five national surveys. JF - Demography Y1 - 2013 A1 - Vicki A Freedman A1 - Brenda C Spillman A1 - Patricia Andreski A1 - Jennifer C. Cornman A1 - Eileen M. Crimmins A1 - Kramarow, Ellen A1 - Lubitz, James A1 - Linda G Martin A1 - Sharon S. Merkin A1 - Robert F. Schoeni A1 - Teresa Seeman A1 - Timothy A Waidmann KW - Activities of Daily Living KW - Aged KW - Aged, 80 and over KW - Disabled Persons KW - Female KW - Health Surveys KW - Humans KW - Male KW - Mobility Limitation KW - Models, Statistical KW - United States AB -

This article updates trends from five national U.S. surveys to determine whether the prevalence of activity limitations among the older population continued to decline in the first decade of the twenty-first century. Findings across studies suggest that personal care and domestic activity limitations may have continued to decline for those ages 85 and older from 2000 to 2008, but generally were flat since 2000 for those ages 65-84. Modest increases were observed for the 55- to 64-year-old group approaching late life, although prevalence remained low for this age group. Inclusion of the institutional population is important for assessing trends among those ages 85 and older in particular.

PB - 50 VL - 50 IS - 2 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23104207?dopt=Abstract U2 - PMC3586750 U4 - methodology/Meta-analysis/ADL and IADL Impairments/Public Policy/health Care Costs/PREVALENCE ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Neighborhoods and obesity in later life. JF - Am J Public Health Y1 - 2008 A1 - Irina B Grafova A1 - Vicki A Freedman A1 - Kumar, Rizie A1 - Jeannette Rogowski KW - Aged KW - Air Pollution KW - Crime KW - Emigrants and Immigrants KW - Environment Design KW - Female KW - Health Status Indicators KW - Humans KW - Income KW - Logistic Models KW - Male KW - Middle Aged KW - Obesity KW - Odds Ratio KW - Overweight KW - Population Density KW - Residence Characteristics KW - Retirement KW - Social Class KW - Social Conditions KW - Social Environment KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - United States AB -

OBJECTIVES: We examined the influence of neighborhood environment on the weight status of adults 55 years and older.

METHODS: We conducted a 2-level logistic regression analysis of data from the 2002 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. We included 8 neighborhood scales: economic advantage, economic disadvantage, air pollution, crime and segregation, street connectivity, density, immigrant concentration, and residential stability.

RESULTS: When we controlled for individual- and family-level confounders, living in a neighborhood with a high level of economic advantage was associated with a lower likelihood of being obese for both men (odds ratio [OR] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.80, 0.94) and women (OR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.77, 0.89). Men living in areas with a high concentration of immigrants and women living in areas of high residential stability were more likely to be obese. Women living in areas of high street connectivity were less likely to be overweight or obese.

CONCLUSIONS: The mechanisms by which neighborhood environment and weight status are linked in later life differ by gender, with economic and social environment aspects being important for men and built environment aspects being salient for women.

PB - 98 VL - 98 IS - 11 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18799770?dopt=Abstract U2 - PMC2636421 U4 - Obesity/Weight/Neighborhood Characteristics ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Resolving inconsistencies in trends in old-age disability: report from a technical working group. JF - Demography Y1 - 2004 A1 - Vicki A Freedman A1 - Eileen M. Crimmins A1 - Robert F. Schoeni A1 - Brenda C Spillman A1 - Aykan, Hakan A1 - Kramarow, Ellen A1 - Land, Kenneth A1 - Lubitz, James A1 - Kenneth G. Manton A1 - Linda G Martin A1 - Shinberg, Diane A1 - Timothy A Waidmann KW - Activities of Daily Living KW - Age Factors KW - Aged KW - Aged, 80 and over KW - Chronic disease KW - Disabled Persons KW - Female KW - Health Surveys KW - Homemaker Services KW - Humans KW - Male KW - Models, Statistical KW - Self-Help Devices KW - United States AB -

In September 2002, a technical working group met to resolve previously published inconsistencies across national surveys in trends in activity limitations among the older population. The 12-person panel prepared estimates from five national data sets and investigated methodological sources of the inconsistencies among the population aged 70 and older from the early 1980s to 2001. Although the evidence was mixed for the 1980s and it is difficult to pinpoint when in the 1990s the decline began, during the mid- and late 1990s, the panel found consistent declines on the order of 1%-2.5% per year for two commonly used measures in the disability literature: difficulty with daily activities and help with daily activities. Mixed evidence was found for a third measure: the use of help or equipment with daily activities. The panel also found agreement across surveys that the proportion of older persons who receive help with bathing has declined at the same time as the proportion who use only equipment (but not personal care) to bathe has increased. In comparing findings across surveys, the panel found that the period, definition of disability, treatment of the institutionalized population, and age standardizing of results were important to consider. The implications of the findings for policy, national survey efforts, and further research are discussed.

PB - 41 VL - 41 IS - 3 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15461008?dopt=Abstract U4 - Disability/Disability/ADL and IADL Impairments/Elderly/Caregiving ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Asking neutral versus leading questions: implications for functional limitation measurement. JF - J Aging Health Y1 - 2003 A1 - Vicki A Freedman A1 - Aykan, Hakan A1 - Kleban, Morton H. KW - Activities of Daily Living KW - Aged KW - Factor Analysis, Statistical KW - Health Surveys KW - Humans KW - Research Design KW - Surveys and Questionnaires KW - United States AB -

UNLABELLED: National surveys of older Americans routinely have included functional limitation items using either a leading approach ("how much difficulty do you have...") or a neutral approach ("do you have any difficulty..."). This article evaluates the performance of scales based on these two approaches.

METHODS: Using responses from 595 randomly selected participants to the 1994 Health and Retirement Study, the authors compared prevalences and evaluated scales based on each approach with respect to the extent of missing data, face validity, reliability, predictive validity, convergent validity, and robustness of odds ratios in predictive models.

RESULTS: The authors found that leading questions provided higher estimates of functional limitations than neutral questions, but both approaches yielded scales with similar validity and reliability. However, for both approaches, scales incorporating degree of difficulty had better validity and reliability than those based on counts of tasks. All four approaches yielded substantially similar coefficients in a model predicting disability onset.

DISCUSSION: The authors conclude that, because they minimize survey time without compromising validity and reliability, items that explicitly capture degree of difficulty by asking "How much difficulty do you have..." may be the optimal approach for survey designers.

PB - 15 VL - 15 IS - 4 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14594023?dopt=Abstract U4 - Method of Questioning/Measurement/Survey Methods ER -