Objectives: This article presents the prevalence of dependency and selected chronic conditions among Canadians aged 65 or older living in households. Associations between chronic conditions and dependency in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) are examined.
Data source: Estimates are based on data from the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey.
Analytical techniques: Cross-tabulations were used to estimate the prevalence of ADL/IADL dependency and chronic conditions. Associations between chronic conditions and dependency were studied using multiple logistic regression models.
Main results: The prevalence of ADL/IADL dependency and chronic conditions increased with age. IADL dependency was more common than ADL dependency. When chronic pain was taken into account, associations between ADL dependency and arthritis/rheumatism, diabetes and urinary incontinence were no longer significant, and the association between IADL dependency and diabetes lost significance. Regardless of chronic pain, Alzheimer's disease or other dementia and the effects of stroke were significantly related to dependency.