Full Citation
Title: A Comparison of Functional Limitations Between Veterans and Non-Veterans
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2015
ISBN:
ISSN:
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnv559.05
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Abstract: Veterans health care and future demands for VA services have received much attention in recent months. This study uses data from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) to examine variables that provide an indication of functional health status. Variables examined include independent living difficulty, cognitive difficulty, ambulatory difficulty, self-care difficulty, and vision or hearing difficulty. Vietnam veterans, veterans who served between 1991 and 2001, and Post 9/11 veterans are each compared to non-veterans in the same age groups at two points in time. Younger Vietnam veterans (i.e., ages 45 to 54 in 2003 and 55 to 64 in 2013) have greater proportions of difficulty for each of the measures as compared to non-veterans in both 2003 and 2013. For veterans who served between 1991 and 2001, younger veterans (i.e., ages 25 to 39 in 2003 and 35 to 49 in 2013) have lower proportions of cognitive difficulty in 2003 as compared to non-veterans in the same age group, but that reversed in 2013. With the exception of the 25 to 29 age group in 2003, veterans have higher proportions of hearing and vision losses than non-veterans in both 2003 and 2013, and the gap between veterans and non-veterans widens over the 10-year period. Results for post-2001 veterans were similar to the 1991-2001 group. These results suggest that demand for health services by veterans might increase at a faster rate compared to non-veterans in the same age group.
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Authors: Cummins, P.; Frochen, S.; Kunkel, S.
Periodical (Full): The Gerontologist
Issue: Suppl_2
Volume: 55
Pages: 218-218
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Aging and Retirement, Other
Countries: