%0 Journal Article %J Journal of Aging and Health %D 2019 %T Comparisons of the Association of Family and Social Factors With Functional Limitations Across the United States, Mexico, and South Korea: Findings From the HRS Family of Surveys %A Ickpyo Hong %A Pryor, Loree %A Rebeca Wong %A Ottenbacher, Kenneth J. %A Timothy A Reistetter %K Cross-Cultural Comparison %K cross-national study %K Family %K KLoSA %K MHAS %K multiple studies %K socialization %X Objective: The association of family and social factors with the level of functional limitations was examined across the United States, Mexico, and Korea. Method: Participants included adults from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study (n = 10,017), Mexican Health and Aging Study (n = 6,367), and Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (n = 4,134). A common functional limitation scale was created based on Rasch analysis with a higher score indicating better physical function. Results: The American older adults (3.65 logits) had better physical function compared with Mexican (2.81 logits) and Korean older adults (1.92 logits). There were different associations of family and social factors with functional limitations across the three countries. Discussion: The American older adults demonstrated less functional limitation compared with Mexican and Korean older adults at the population level. The findings indicate the need to interpret carefully the individual family and social factors associated with functional limitations within the unique context of each country. %B Journal of Aging and Health %8 2019/10/04 %@ 0898-2643 %G eng %! J Aging Health %R https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264319878549 %0 Journal Article %J Quality of Life Research %D 2018 %T Cross-national health comparisons using the Rasch model: findings from the 2012 US Health and Retirement Study and the 2012 Mexican Health and Aging Study %A Ickpyo Hong %A Timothy A Reistetter %A Díaz-Venegas, Carlos %A Alejandra Michaels-Obregon %A Rebeca Wong %K Arthritis %K Chronic conditions %K Comparisons %K Disabilities %K MHAS %X Purpose Cross-national comparisons of patterns of population aging have emerged as comparable national micro-data have become available. This study creates a metric using Rasch analysis and determines the health of American and Mexican older adult populations. Methods Secondary data analysis using representative samples aged 50 and older from 2012 U.S. Health and Retirement Study (n = 20,554); 2012 Mexican Health and Aging Study (n = 14,448). We developed a function measurement scale using Rasch analysis of 22 daily tasks and physical function questions. We tested psychometrics of the scale including factor analysis, fit statistics, internal consistency, and item difficulty. We investigated differences in function using multiple linear regression controlling for demographics. Lastly, we conducted subgroup analyses for chronic conditions. Results The created common metric demonstrated a unidimensional structure with good item fit, an acceptable precision (person reliability = 0.78), and an item difficulty hierarchy. The American adults appeared less functional than adults in Mexico (β = − 0.26, p < 0.0001) and across two chronic conditions (arthritis, β = − 0.36; lung problems, β = − 0.62; all p < 0.05). However, American adults with stroke were more functional than Mexican adults (β = 0.46, p = 0.047). Conclusions The Rasch model indicates that Mexican adults were more functional than Americans at the population level and across two chronic conditions (arthritis and lung problems). Future studies would need to elucidate other factors affecting the function differences between the two countries. %B Quality of Life Research %V 27 %P 2431-2441 %8 09/2018 %G eng %U https://link-springer-com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/article/10.1007%2Fs11136-018-1878-4 %N 9 %0 Journal Article %J J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci %D 2018 %T Differences in the Progression of Disability: A U.S.-Mexico Comparison. %A Díaz-Venegas, Carlos %A Timothy A Reistetter %A Rebeca Wong %K Activities of Daily Living %K Age Factors %K Aged %K Disabled Persons %K disease progression %K Female %K Humans %K Male %K Mexico %K MHAS %X

Objectives: This article seeks to document the progression of disability in a developing country by implementing a model to examine how this process compares to a developed country.

Methods: Data come from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), including a baseline survey in 2001 and a follow-up in 2003, and from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS), using the 2000 and 2002 waves. An ordinal logistic regression approach is used to examine a progression of disability that considers (a) no disability, (b) mobility problems, (c) mobility plus limitations with instrumental activities of daily living, (d) mobility plus limitations with activities of daily living (ADLs), (e) limitations in all three areas and (f) death.

Results: In both data sets, approximately 44% of the sample remained in the same level of disability at the 2-year follow-up. However, the progression of limitations with two disabilities differs by gender in the MHAS but is consistent for both men and women in the HRS.

Discussion: Our model reflects the importance of ADLs in the disablement process in Mexico. We speculate that the difference in lifetime risk profiles and cultural context might be responsible for the divergence in the progression of disability by gender.

%B J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci %V 73 %P 913-922 %8 2018 06 14 %G eng %U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27436102 %N 5 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27436102?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1093/geronb/gbw082