Contribution of chronic diseases to the mild and severe disability burden in Belgium

Table 1 Characteristics of the study participants. Health Interview Survey, Belgium, 1997, 2001, 2004, and 2008

Characteristic	Total		Not disabled		Mild disability		Severe disability
Characteristic	N	%^a	N	%^a	N	%^a	N	%^a
Gender (female)
Male	17019	47.5	15201	49.6	1177	38.4	641	31.1
Female	18780	52.5	15470	50.4	1890	61.6	1420	68.9
Age group (years)
15–54	22486	62.8	21538	70.2	677	22.1	271	13.1
55–64	4490	12.5	3916	12.8	424	13.8	150	7.3
65–79	5634	15.7	4005	13.1	1097	35.8	532	25.8
≥80	3189	8.9	1212	4.0	869	28.3	1108	53.8
Survey year
1997	7926	22.1	7085	23.1	586	19.1	255	12.4
2001	9175	25.6	8130	26.5	688	22.4	357	17.3
2004	9977	27.9	8293	27.0	971	31.7	713	34.6
2008	8721	24.4	7163	23.4	822	26.8	736	35.7
Education level
Tertiary	11602	32.4	10711	34.9	615	20.1	276	13.4
Secondary	14145	39.5	12280	40.0	1194	38.9	671	32.6
Primary	5603	15.7	3737	12.2	1026	33.5	840	40.8
No diploma	512	1.4	304	1.0	105	3.4	103	5.0
No information	3937	11.0	3639	11.9	127	4.1	171	8.3
Proxy interview	3167	8.8	2339	7.6	226	7.4	602	29.2
Hospitalization rate^b	2329	12.5	1521	9.8	373	20.8	435	30.2
Mobility limitation^c	3797	10.6	-	-	2001	65.2	1592	77.2
ADL limitation^c
Transfer in/out of bed	2603	7.2	-	-	1220	39.8	731	35.5
Transfer in/out of chair	2378	6.7	-	-	1089	35.5	557	27.0
Dressing/undressing	2355	6.6	-	-	942	30.7	864	41.9
Washing hands and face	1171	3.3	-	-	255	8.3	508	24.6
Feeding	1151	3.2	-	-	265	8.6	492	23.9
Using the toilet	1210	3.4	-	-	251	8.2	511	24.8

^aThe percentages are not weighted: they do not represent the prevalence, but the proportion in the study population
^bInpatient hospitalization in the 12 months preceding the interview. Information available only for the 2004 and 2008 BHIS (N = 18,698)
^cThe proportions do not add to 100 %, as an individual can have more than one ADL and/or mobility limitation

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