Abstract
Functional ability, an important health measure—especially in aging societies—is
measured through limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental
activities of daily living (IADL). We use panel data from four waves of the Survey
of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) conducted between 2011
and 2022 to analyse trends in the prevalence of functional ability in Austria and
ten other European countries. Our results show a stagnation or modest decline in
functional limitations among the Austrian elderly, and a clear downward trend in
other European countries. These findings contrast with earlier evidence from the
Austrian Health Interview Survey (ATHIS), which suggested rapidly rising disability
rates—possibly reflecting survey mode effects rather than worsening functional
ability. Overall, our results indicate that, at a given age, Austrians and other Europeans
are experiencing increasingly healthy ageing, implying that rising longevity
does not necessarily extend the period lived with disability.
measured through limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental
activities of daily living (IADL). We use panel data from four waves of the Survey
of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) conducted between 2011
and 2022 to analyse trends in the prevalence of functional ability in Austria and
ten other European countries. Our results show a stagnation or modest decline in
functional limitations among the Austrian elderly, and a clear downward trend in
other European countries. These findings contrast with earlier evidence from the
Austrian Health Interview Survey (ATHIS), which suggested rapidly rising disability
rates—possibly reflecting survey mode effects rather than worsening functional
ability. Overall, our results indicate that, at a given age, Austrians and other Europeans
are experiencing increasingly healthy ageing, implying that rising longevity
does not necessarily extend the period lived with disability.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Empirica |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 26 Mar 2026 |
Fields of science
- 101018 Statistics
- 502051 Economic statistics
- 502021 Microeconomics
- 105108 Geostatistics
- 502020 Market research
- 507016 Regional economy
- 502018 Macroeconomics
- 101029 Mathematical statistics
- 502047 Economic theory
- 502046 Economic policy
- 504014 Gender studies
- 102009 Computer simulation
- 303010 Health economics
- 101026 Time series analysis
- 502003 Foreign trade
- 101024 Probability theory
- 502 Economics
- 502002 Labour economics
- 502027 Political economy
- 502001 Labour market policy
- 502025 Econometrics
- 502039 Structural policy
- 504006 Demography
- 305907 Medical statistics
- 405002 Agricultural economics
- 504004 Population statistics
- 509 Other Social Sciences
- 509013 Social statistics
- 506004 European integration
- 106007 Biostatistics
- 502013 Industrial economics
- 502012 Industrial management
- 502042 Environmental economics
- 502010 Public finance
- 504007 Empirical social research
- 101007 Financial mathematics
- 502009 Corporate finance
JKU Focus areas
- Sustainable Development: Responsible Technologies and Management
- Digital Transformation
Cite this
- APA
- Author
- BIBTEX
- Harvard
- Standard
- RIS
- Vancouver