Activity limitation in elderly people in the European context of gender inequality: a multilevel approach

Abstract The objective of the present study was to examine the magnitude of gender differences in activity limitations among the elderly, and the effect of the health and social individual factors and the context of social gender inequality in Europe. Cross-sectional design was performed. The study population included residents aged 60 years or over from 17 countries that participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe conducted in 2010-13 (n = 49,685). Gender differences in activity limitation in each country was estimated. For multilevel analysis adjusted linear mixed effect models were used, where the intercept and ‘sex’ were considered random effects, with the 95% confidence intervals. The activity limitation index was created from a two parameter logistic combined models of item response theory. The average activity limitation index was significantly higher in women, (g10 = b1j = 0.36, p < 0.001), and was then controlled by individual and contextual factors, while the extent of these differences varied among countries. The European countries with the greatest gender differences in activity limitations were those with the greatest social gender inequalities, with women presenting a significant disadvantage.