Socio-demographic differentials in the functional decline among the elderly in Brazil

There is a positive reversion in the expectations regarding the health condition of the elderly population, possibly due to the progresses in medical technology; behavioural changes; development of special programmes for the elderly; improvements in the socio-economic status; decrease of infectious diseases. This study aims analyzing differentials in the prevalence rates of mobility disability among elderly people in Brazil. The data used were from 'The 1998 and 2003 National Household Survey (PNAD)', conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geographic and Statistics (IBGE). The two samples were nationally representative, including approximately 30 thousand individuals aged 60 years or more respectively. "Difficulty to walk more than 100 meters" was the variable selected as the indicator of disability. Socio-demographic status measures were sex, age group, region of residence and family income per capita. Comparison of the PNAD results of 1998 and 2003 showed that over that period in Brazil the elderly disability rates decreased among all socio-demographic groups considered. Public policies directed to the elderly must focus on reducing mobility disability.