Rohlfsen Leah S, Kronenfeld Jennie Jacobs
Department of Sociology, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York.
Sociology Program, Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2014 Jul;69(4):590-602. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbu021. Epub 2014 Mar 17.
To examine gender difference in trajectories of functional limitations among middle-aged and older adults using a comprehensive set of predictors and method not previously used to examine this topic.
Two-part latent curve models were used to analyze data from the Health and Retirement Study. These models differentiate the occurrence of limitations from the number of limitations at both baseline and over time.
Females had 3.70 times greater odds of having any limitations and had 28% more limitations at baseline compared with males, but there was no gender difference in the onset of limitations over time or in the number of limitations over time. Differences in employment status, income, wealth, depressive symptoms, arthritis, cancer, and eyesight partially explained the gender gap.
Females are disadvantaged in terms of occurrence and number of limitations at baseline but the gender gap remains stable over time, suggesting differences occur before late-middle and old age. Females' lack of full-time employment, and lower levels of income and wealth translate into worse functional health. It is important to improve the socioeconomic status of females while also addressing the health conditions that contribute to functional limitations for males and females.
使用一套全面的预测因素和此前未用于研究该主题的方法，考察中老年人群功能受限轨迹中的性别差异。
采用两部分潜在曲线模型分析来自健康与退休研究的数据。这些模型区分了基线时以及随时间推移受限情况的发生与受限数量。
与男性相比，女性出现任何受限情况的几率高出3.70倍，且基线时的受限情况多28%，但随时间推移受限情况的起始或随时间推移的受限数量不存在性别差异。就业状况、收入、财富、抑郁症状、关节炎、癌症和视力方面的差异部分解释了性别差距。
女性在基线时的受限发生情况和数量方面处于劣势，但性别差距随时间保持稳定，这表明差异在中老年期之前就已出现。女性缺乏全职工作以及收入和财富水平较低导致功能健康状况较差。在改善女性社会经济地位的同时，解决导致男性和女性功能受限的健康状况也很重要。
