Determining the prevalence of functional limitation and the factors affecting it among older adults in need of long-term care in Turkey

Abstract

This study aimed to calculate the prevalence of the elderly (aged 60 years+) in Turkey who need long-term care for activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and examine factors affecting functional limitation. Data were collected from the Turkey Health Survey conducted by TurkStat in 2019. The individuals' dependency degree was measured using seven questions on ADLs and six on IADLs in the survey. The chi-squared test was used to compare the dependency levels of the older adults in terms of age groups, and logistic regression to identify factors related to disability. 23.98% of elderly people required long-term care (minimum six months) -11.82% experienced some difficulty (group 1) and 11.91% experienced great difficulty (group 2); 0.25% were completely dependent (group 3). The dependency level was higher for elderly, female, uninsured, and single people living in northeastern Anatolia. There was statistical significance between depression, Alzheimer's, recent hospitalizations, number of chronic diseases, and disability. The prevalence of functional disability is high in the elderly; one out of four elderly people needs long-term care. Additionally, the disability level increases with age and there is an effect of an individual's sociodemographic and health characteristics on disability. Highlights: center dot One in four elderly people in Turkey need long-term care. center dot Approximately 2.6-3.1 million elderly people need long-term care in 2021. center dot It is estimated that this number will reach 4.9-5.9 million by 2040 and 6.7-8 million by 2060. center dot Age, sex, marital status, and region affect the dependency level of the elderly.