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Abstract
The 1994-1995 Disability Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey (administered to a representative sample of the U.S. population) was analyzed for women age 30 and older with intellectual disabilities (ID), developmental disabilities (DD) or both, in order to describe their functioning as they aged in the community. Definitions of ID and DD consistent with professional and legal standards were developed and adapted to the NHIS-D questions. An estimated 56% of the approximately 77 million civilian, noninstitutionalized, women age 30 and older in the United States have one of these disabilities. Compared with women in general, women with these disabilities had negative perceptions of their health status, particularly women with DD and health indicators tended to support their perceptions. Most were independent in activities of daily living (ADL), but instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) posed more of a challenge, and limitations in major activities were common as was a high rate of distress and psychosocial difficulties. The findings suggest that the needs of these women are multiple in nature, involving economic resources, psychological support, possibly work assistance (e.g., job placement), education, social and family supports, in addition to rehabilitative supports more directly linked to specific disabilities.
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