Predictors of functional decline* in older adults—multiple logistic regression analyses with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals
| Variable | OR (95% CI) | Variable | OR (95% CI) |
| Self assessed health | Marital status | ||
| Global health status | Married | 1.00 | |
| Excellent | 1.00 | Widowed | 0.60 (0.29, 1.24) |
| Very good | 1.20 (0.99, 1.46) | Not married | 0.39 (0.18, 0.84) |
| Good | 1.43 (1.16, 1.76) | Living arrangements | |
| Fair/poor | 1.56 (1.20, 2.03) | With spouse | 1.00 |
| Taking care of health | With non-/relative | 2.08 (1.01, 4.26) | |
| Excellent | 1.00 | Living alone | 1.68 (0.82, 3.44) |
| Very good | 1.18 (0.94, 1.47) | Functioning | |
| Good | 1.18 (0.93, 1.49) | Upper body limitation | |
| Fair/poor | 1.67 (1.20, 2.33) | None | 1.00 |
| Worry over health | 1–2 | 1.33 (1.06, 1.66) | |
| Not at all | 1.00 | 3–5 | 1.32 (0.89, 1.96) |
| Hardly any | 1.03 (0.85, 1.26) | Lower body limitation | |
| Some | 1.03 (0.83, 1.27) | None | 1.00 |
| Great deal | 1.02 (0.67, 1.54) | 1–2 | 1.46 (1.19, 1.79) |
| Control over health | 3–5 | 1.74 (1.28, 2.37) | |
| A great deal | 1.00 | Disease/conditions | |
| Some | 1.10 (0.92, 1.32) | Ever had: | |
| None/very little | 1.07 (0.83, 1.39) | Hypertension | |
| Physical activity | No | 1.00 | |
| A lot more active | 1.00 | Yes | 1.30 (1.09, 1.56) |
| More active | 0.99 (0.80, 1.23) | In past 12 months: | |
| About as active | 1.29 (1.08, 1.55) | Diabetes | |
| Less active | 1.65 (1.14, 2.39) | No | 1.00 |
| Getting exercise | Yes | 1.48 (1.12, 1.95) | |
| As much as needed | 1.00 | Falls | |
| Less than needed | 1.17 (0.99, 1.38) | No | 1.00 |
| Trouble remembering | Yes | 1.28 (1.05, 1.57) | |
| Never | 1.00 | Amount of social activity † | |
| Rarely | 0.83 (0.64, 1.07) | 0–1 | 1.00 |
| Sometimes/frequently | 0.90 (0.73, 1.11) | 2–4 | 0.76 (0.52, 1.10) |
| Getting confused | 5–6 | 0.63 (0.42, 0.95) | |
| Never | 1.00 | Use of services | |
| Rarely | 0.99 (0.80, 1.22) | Doctor visits | |
| Sometimes/frequently | 1.35 (1.09, 1.66) | None | 1.00 |
| Sociodemographics | 1–2 | 1.44 (1.12, 1.84) | |
| Age in 1984 | 3–6 | 1.25 (0.96, 1.64) | |
| 70–74 | 1.00 | 7+ | 1.42 (1.06, 1.91) |
| 75–79 | 1.98 (1.66, 2.38) | ||
| 80–84 | 3.69 (2.88, 4.73) | ||
| 85+ | 9.08 (6.38, 12.93) | ||
Controlling for baseline disability level in 1984. Gender, race, education, poverty index, stroke, use of community services, hospital days have been controlled. *Change in disability level between 1984 and 1990 coded as 0=no change/improvement, 1=decline. †Total number of activities in the past two weeks among the following: (1) get together with friends or neighbours; (2) talk on telephone with friends or neighbours; (3) get together with relatives; (4) talk with relatives on telephone; (5) go to church or temple; and (6) go to movies, sports events, etc.