Assessment of health, functioning and disability of a population aged 60–70 in south-eastern Poland using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0)

Abstract

Introduction. There is a growing number of older people in Poland. This phenomenon results in the need to assess their problems related with functioning in everyday life. This is the first study conducted in Polish society which evaluates the prevalence of disability and limitations in functioning by means of WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire. Objective. Evaluation of the health, functioning and disability of people aged 60-70 years living in south-eastern Poland. Materials and method. The researched material was a randomly-selected sample of 1,000 inhabitants of south-eastern Poland. The study was conducted by use of direct interviews applying the WHODAS 2.0. For the purpose of statistical analysis, measures of descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests of significance were used. Results. Limitations in functioning were reported by 67.00% of participants aged 60-70 years, including 46.20% with a mild disability, 14.50% -moderate, 6.30% -significant and extremely large disability. The highest level of disability occurred in areas related to participation in social life (mean = 20.77), performing activities of daily living (mean = 17.42) and mobility (mean = 17.23). A significantly higher level of disability (p <0.0001)was observed among unmarried people, the elderly and those with a greater number of chronic diseases. Higher level of physical activity was associated with lower disability level in the studied population (p <0.009). Conclusions.Regarding the studied population, it was found that many health problems become worse over the years. The state of health that deteriorates with age causes limitations in daily functioning, which lead to disability, activity limitations and participation in everyday life. The progressive ageing of the Polish population will cause an increasing demand for medical care and on the social services.

Changes in disease burden in Poland between 1990–2017 in comparison with other Central European countries: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

“…Although it is difficult to identify the specific causes of the differences in YLLs, YLDs and DALYs among the CE countries, differences in political systems, socioeconomic conditions, health behaviors (e.g., smoking, alcohol, diet), and health care systems are likely to play a role [50]. Changes in population health have paralleled rapid socio economic development that took place in these countries over the past quarter of a century and can be, at least partly, attributed to it [7,8,51,52]. SDI in Poland improved from 0.66 in 1990 to 0.84 in 2017, compared with increases from 0.66 to 0.81 in the CE region, 0.68 to 0.79 in EE, and 0.76 to 0.86 in WE.…”

“…In addition, men are less likely to participate in screening programs [67]. Other factors, including biopsychological differences, may also be important, especially for mental health and self-harm [7]. The YLL rate for self-harm in Poland is almost eightfold higher in males.…”

“…However, despite a high HDI (0.865 in 2017), total health expenditure in Poland, expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), is one of the lowest in CE (6.5% in 2016) and much lower than in the European Union as a whole (8.4%) [5]. As the Polish population grows older, similar to other European populations [3,4,6], the number of years Poles can expect to live with disability and impaired quality of life from chronic conditions has increased [6,7]. This suggests that declines in mortality have not been matched by similar declines in morbidity, resulting in people living longer with diseases.…”

“…This suggests that declines in mortality have not been matched by similar declines in morbidity, resulting in people living longer with diseases. Indeed, a recent national report in Poland [7] showed an increasing prevalence of lower back pain, high blood pressure, neck pain, and osteoarthritis, suggesting that non-fatal outcomes of diseases along with injuries are becoming a larger component of the total burden of disease.…”

Assessment of the correlations between the level of physical activity and sociodemographic factors, functional capabilities and cognitive capabilities of elderly persons from south-eastern Poland

“…The more chronic diseases are diagnosed in a particular person, the higher the disability level [8]. Health status deterioration, which results in disability, leads to the elderly individuals' early inability to work and loss of independence [9]. People with decreased psychophysical capabilities are also less likely to participate in social life [2].…”