Robin Taylor Wilson ^1*, Gary A. Chase ¹, Elizabeth A. Chrischilles ², Robert B. Wallace ²

¹ Penn State College of Medicine
² University of Iowa College of Public Health

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rwilson{at}psu.edu.

	Abstract

Objectives. We determined risks of short-term (2-year) hip fracture in a nationally representative, prospective cohort of community-dwelling elderly people 70 years or older.

Methods. We used self-report data from 2 waves of the Asset and Health Dynamics Survey (n=5630). Sample-weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine risk of hip fracture in relation to several demographic, cognitive, physical, and socioeconomic indicators.

Results. During the 2-year study period, 102 participants reported a new hip fracture. Several indicators of physical functioning and cognitive status, including incorrect delayed word recall and inability to lift 10 lbs (4.5 kg), were significantly associated with hip fracture risk. In the final model, mobile home residents, individuals without Medicare part B insurance, and those without a high-school diploma were at more than a 2-fold risk of hip fracture. Educational level, physical functioning, and insurance status were the top 3 contributors to hip fracture risk.

Conclusions. In addition to functional status measures, health insurance status, educational level, and type of residence appear to be independent predictors of hip fracture.

Key Words: Aging, Chronic Disease, Disability, Insurance, Socioeconomic Factors, Surveys