Limitations in Activities of Daily Living among Older Adults with COPD, Asthma, or Asthma-COPD Overlap Residing in Spain

Sheila Sánchez Castillo (), Lee Smith, Arturo Díaz Suárez and Guillermo Felipe López Sánchez ()
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Sheila Sánchez Castillo: Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Murcia, 30720 San Javier, Spain
Lee Smith: Centre for Health Performance and Wellbeing, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
Arturo Díaz Suárez: Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Murcia, 30720 San Javier, Spain
Guillermo Felipe López Sánchez: Division of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30120 Murcia, Spain

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: Activities of daily living (ADL) may be limited by the presence of chronic diseases, and limitations in ADL contribute to an increased risk of falling. In people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma–COPD overlap (ACO), ADL may be affected owing to poor asthma control and COPD ventilatory limitations. The aim of this study was to establish the differing prevalence of limitations in ADL among older Spanish adults with chronic respiratory diseases (COPD, asthma, and ACO). Data from the Spanish National Health Survey were analyzed. The sample was composed of 944 older adults aged ≥65 years and with a positive diagnosis of COPD ( n = 502), asthma ( n = 241), or ACO ( n = 201). Five basic activities of daily living (BADL) and seven instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) were studied. Frequency and percentages were used to describe sample characteristics and limitations of ADL. Significant differences were analyzed using chi-square tests. Results revealed a significant higher number of older adults with COPD (34.8%) and asthma (32.5%) without limitations in doing hard housework in comparison to ACO (17.8%). Regarding meal preparation, a higher percentage of asthmatics without difficulties (77.7%) and a lower percentage with many difficulties (2.6%) were observed in comparison to ACO (64.8%–10.2%). No differences were found in BADL, with approximately 80–90% without limitations. It seems that limitations in IADL vary according to the type of chronic pulmonary diseases, but further research is needed to clarify why differences were found only for preparing meals and hard housework. These findings should be considered in the design of interventions to promote ADL in older adults with respiratory disease.

Keywords: lung diseases; elderly; functional status; healthy ageing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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