Table 1 Midlife disability prevalence and disability definitions

 Altman & Gulley 2009 [45]

Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health, 2002–2003, United States and Canada national samples

40–64 years

Disability in 4 question domains: Restriction of Activities Screener (reduction of activities at home, school, work); Health Utilities Index (functional abilities including vision, hearing, speech, mobility, dexterity, emotional well being, cognition, pain); Activity and Participation Screener (restriction caused by physical, mental or emotional problem); and Physical Functioning Limitation

Men & women

• 40–49 years, Canada

19.82 % (14.16, 25.48)

• 50–64 years, Canada

25.32 % (19.17, 31.47)

• 40–49 years, United States

16.80 % (12.47, 21.13)

• 50–64 years, United States

28.59 % (23.67, 33.51)

 Mitra et al. 2009 [46]

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2004, United States national sample

40–61 years

At least one of the following: limitations in work, housework, or school; walking limitations; cognitive limitation; limitations in seeing or hearing

Men and women

• 40–49 years

29.7 %

• 50–61 years

45.4 %

 Hottman et al. 2005 [5]

Survey of Income and Program Participation, 2005, United States national sample

45–64 years

At least one of the following: (women only)

25.9 %

Men & women

• Use of an assistive aid

4.6 % (4.2, 5.0)

• Difficulty performing ADLs

4.1 % (3.7, 4.5)

• Difficulty performing IADLs

6.0 % (5.5, 6.5)

• Difficulty performing specified functional activities

19.4 % (18.6, 20.2)

• Reported of selected impairments

6.9 % (6.4, 7.4)

• Limitation in ability to work around house

10.7 % (10.1, 11.3)

• Limitation in ability to work at Job/business

11.3 % (10.7, 11.9)

 Martin et al. 2010 [33]

National Health Interview Survey, 2005–2007, United States national sample

50–64 years

Difficulty with physical functions due to a health problem

42.0 %

Men & women

• Needing help with IADLs

6.7 %

• Needing help with ADLs

6.0 %

 Zhao et al. 2009 [47]

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2005, United States national sample

50–65 years

Self-reported limitations in participation in activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems or whether health problems required use of special equipment

Men & women

• 50–54 years

22.9 % (21.3, 24.5)

• 55–59 years

28.8 % (27.8, 29.8)

• 60–65 years

28.8 % (27.8, 29.8)

 Khoury et al. 2013 [69]

Female Medicaid beneficiaries, 2001–2005, Florida

36–64 years

Presence of at least one physically disabling conditions but no use of a mobility assistive device

Women

• 36–45 years

35.79 %

• 46–55 years

47.22 %

• 56–64 years

53.30 %

Presence of at least one physically disabling conditions and use of a mobility assistive device

• 36–45 years

2.92 %

• 46–55 years

5.59 %

• 56–64 years

9.17 %

 Brown et al. 2014 [41]

Patients admitted to San Francisco General Hospital, 2010–2011, San Francisco, California

55–59 years

Needing help with at least one ADL 2 weeks before hospital admission

28.9 %

Men & women

• Needing help with bathing

21.1 %

• Needing help with dressing

20.5 %

• Needing help with transferring

14.5 %

• Needing help with eating

9.0 %

• Needing help with toileting

9.6 %

Needing help with at least 2 IADLs 2 weeks before hospital admission

36.1 %

• Needing help with shopping

32.5 %

• Needing help with light housework

30.6 %

• Needing help with meal preparation

30.1 %

• Needing help with transportation

21.1 %

• Needing help with medication management

20.7 %

• Needing help with money management

16.9 %

• Needing help with using the telephone

7.2 %

 Mann et al. 2015 [48]

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2011, South Carolina

45–64 years

Affirmative response to standard BRFSS disability questions:

Men & women

Self-reported limitation in “activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems”

Or

Self-reported health problem that requires use of special equipment such as a cane, wheelchair, special bed, or special telephone.

• 45–54 years

22.1 % (20.0, 24.3)

• 55–64 years

23.3 % (21.4, 25.2)

 Karvonen-Gutierrez & Ylitalo 2013 [32]

Michigan Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, 2011, Michigan

55.9–67.7 years

36-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, severe-extreme disability:

Women only

• Global score

5.05 % (2.84, 7.26)

• Understanding and communicating

5.05 % (2.84, 7.23)

• Getting around

19.31 % (15.41, 23.41)

• Self-care

4.26 % (2.22, 6.30)

• Getting along with people

6.12 % (3.70, 8.54)

• Engaging in life activities, non-work

43.16 % (35.07, 51.25)

• Engaging in life activities, work

8.62 % (5.00, 12.23)

• Participation in society

8.78 % (3.92, 11.64)

 Arterburn et al. 2012 [52]

Group Health Plan enrollees, Washington

40–65 years

Modified World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, any disability:

Women only

• Global score

Not reported

• Understanding and communicating

26 %

• Getting around

27 %

• Self-care

7 %

• Getting along with people

17 %

• Engaging in life activities, non-work

46 %

• Engaging in life activities, work

45 %

• Participation in society

24 %

 Hosseinpoor et al. 2012 [16]

World Health Survey, 2002–2004, 57 countries

50–59 years

World Health Organization Report on Disability definition, based upon Item Response Theory model using data from questions in multiple domains.

Men & women

• 50–54 year old women

27.3 % (25.1, 29.5)

• 55–59 year old women

30.5 % (28.0, 33.0)

 Kattainen et al. 2004 [39]

Finland Health 2000 Survey, 2000–2001, Finland

45–64 years

Blindness or being unable to perform without help or having marked difficulty at least one of

7.8 %

Women

the following: moving about in the house, getting in/out of bed, dressing, carrying a 5-kg shopping bag, walking 500 m without rest, climbing a flight of stairs without rest, managing grocery shopping

 Krishnan et al. 2004 [40]

Cross-sectional study in Central Finland District, 2000, Finland

36–65

Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) disability index score >0. HAQ assesses difficulty with performing activities in 8 functional categories: dressing/grooming, arising, eating, walking, hygiene, reach, grip, and common daily activities.

Women

• 36–40 years

14.7 % (7.9, 21.4)

• 41–45 years

17.4 % (10.4, 24.4)

• 46–50 years

25.0 % (17.4, 32.6)

• 51–55 years

25.6 % (17.7, 33.5)

• 56–60 years

36.7 % (27.0, 46.4)

• 61–65 years

33.1 % (24.4, 41.7)

 Klijs et al. 2011 [81]

Dutch PLOS-survey (Permanent Onderzoek Leefsituatie), 2001–2007, the Netherlands

55–59 years

Major difficulty doing or only able to do with help at least one of the following: walk up and down the stairs, walk outside, enter/leave the house, sit down/get up from a chair, move around on the same floor, get in/out of bed, eat/drink, get dressed/undressed, wash face/hands, wash completely

6 %

Women

 Almazan-Isla et al. 2014 [60]

Residents from Cinco Villas, Spain, 2008–2009, Spain

50–59 years

36-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, severe-extreme disability, women only

Men & women

• Global score

1.27 %

• Understanding and communicating

1.27 %

• Getting around

8.28 %

• Self-care

2.55 %

• Getting along with people

1.27 %

• Engaging in life activities, non-work

12.74 %

• Engaging in life activities, work

4.46 %

• Participation in society

6.00 %

 Miszkurka et al. 2012 [54]

World Health Organization World Health Study, 2002–2003, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal

35–64 years

Mobility disability, defined as self-reported mild, moderate, severe or extreme difficulty or unable to move around.

Men and women

• 35–44 years, Burkina Faso, women

21 % (16, 28)

• 35–44 years, Mali, women

22 % (19, 26)

• 35–44 years, Senegal, women

36 % (28, 44)

• 45–54 years, Burkina Faso, women

25 % (19, 32)

• 45–54 years, Mali, women

31 % (24, 39)

• 45–54 years, Senegal, women

41 % (23, 63)

• 55–64 years, Burkina Faso, women

52 % (40, 64)

• 55–64 years, Mali, women

48 % (38, 58)

• 55–64 years, Senegal, women

56 % (38, 72)

 Payne et al. 2013 [55]

Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health, 2010, Malawi

45–64 years

Having any health problem that limits ability to carry out culturally-relevant moderate activities or strenuous activities.

Men & women

• Moderately disabled (‘somewhat limited’ in either moderate or strenuous activities)

22.4 %

• Severely disabled (‘limited a lot’ in either moderate or strenuous activities)

5.3 %

 Wandera et al. 2014 [56]

Uganda National Household Survey, 2010, Uganda

50–59 years

Having a lot of difficulty or being unable to perform at least one of the following OR having some difficulty with at least two of the following: difficulty seeing, even if wearing glasses; difficulty hearing, even if wearing a hearing aid; difficulty walking or climbing steps; difficulty remembering or concentrating; difficulty washing all over or dressing, feeding and toileting; difficulty communicating because of a physical, mental or emotional health condition.

24.8 %

Women

 Zheng et al. 2011 [57]

China National Survey, 2006, China

45–64 years

Doctor-diagnosed disability following positive screen for self-reported visual, hearing, speech, physical, intellectual or mental disability

Men and women

• 45–54 years

11.0 %

• 55–64 years

13.2 %

 Peng et al. 2010 [58]

China National Sample Survey on Disability, 2006

35–64 years

Visual, intellectual, mental or physical disability assessed from an impairment-based examination

Women

• 35–39 years

3.48 % (3.41, 3.55)

• 40–44 years

4.18 % (4.10, 4.26)

• 45–49 years

5.32 % (5.21, 5.34)

• 50–54 years

6.38 % (6.27, 6.49)

• 55–59 years

8.77 % (8.62, 8.92)

• 60–64 years

12.35 % (12.15, 12.55)

 Hairi et al. 2010 [59]

Alor Gajah Older People Health Survey, 2007–2008, Malaysia

60–64 years

Level of independence in ADLs. 5-item scale included feeding, dressing, bathing, toileting and transferring. 6-item scale additionally included walking. 10-item scale additionally included grooming, bladder control, bowel control, and stair climbing.

Women

• 10 item ADL dependence

5.3 % (2.6, 10.1)

• 6 item ADL dependence

4.7 % (2.2, 9.4)

• 5 item ADL dependence

2.9 % (1.1, 7.9)