Perceived control and long-term changes in disability in late middle-aged and older persons: An eight-year follow-up study

Abstract

This article examined the predictive role of perceived control in long-term changes in disability among 1541 independently living older persons. Disability referred to self-reported difficulties with (instrumental) activities of daily living. Perceived control referred to the extent to which one assumes oneself as having control over one's life chances, unlike the fatalistic assumption that one's life is ruled by external factors. Data on disability and perceived control were collected in 1993 and recollected in 2001. Covariates included age, gender, living arrangement, level of education, and the number of chronic medical conditions. Regression equations were estimated with disability in 2001 as outcome and the selected variables as predictors. The level of perceived control decreased and the level of disability increased significantly over an 8-year period. The predictive role of perceived control for subsequent change in disability was statistically significant but not very strong. The association between perceived control in 1993 and disability in 2001 was stronger for older persons (>65 years) compared to younger persons (≤65 years).

Keywords:

• Perceived control
• ageing
• disability
• mastery
• prospective study
• older people
• Netherlands

Acknowledgements

This research is part of the Groningen Aging study (GLAS). GLAS is conducted by the Northern Centre for Healthcare Research (NCH) and various Departments of the University of Groningen in The Netherlands. The primary departments involved are the Public Health and Health Psychology, Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Sociology (ICS) and Human Movement Sciences. GLAS and its substudies are financially supported by the Dutch government (through NESTOR), the University of Groningen, the Faculty of Medical Sciences, the Dutch Cancer Foundation (NKB/KWF), and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). The central office of GLAS is located at the NCH, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 196, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands.