Social variation of activity limitations among the birth cohorts 1924-1983: Estonian Family and Fertility Survey

Katre Altmets, University of Tartu
Astrid Saava, University of Tartu

This cross-sectional study aimes to assess the variation in the prevalence of activity limitations of the subgroups of population aged 20-79 in Estonia, a former socialist economy country. The study is based on the second round of the Estonian Family and Fertility Survey, a national project in the framework of Gender and Generation Program. A random sample of the target population (males and females in birth cohorts 1924-1983) was drawn from the population census of the 2000 database. Data collection by face-to-face interviews was implemented in 2004-2005 (n=7855). A binary multivariate logistic regression was applied with activity limitations as the dependent variable and age, gender, nativity, type of residence, education and marital status as independent variables. The adjusted model showed a rise in activity limitations with increasing age, in males, in rural inhabitants, in the case of lower education and marital status as single or divorced/separated. The likelihood of having a limitation correlated with its severity.