Table 3. Characteristics of Long-term Care (LTC) Users Living in the Community, Aged 18-64, by Type of Care, 1994

The Characteristics of Long-term Care Users

CharacteristicsInformal Care OnlyBoth Informal & Formal CareFormal Care OnlyUnknown
Population (thousands)2,383
(70.9%)		197
(5.8%)		186
(5.5%)		596
(17.7%)
Age
18-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-64		75.9
71.5
71.4
72.5
60.9		2.8
3.4
7.8
6.1
9.0		3.4
7.7
3.8
6.0
6.8		18.0
17.4
17.1
15.4
23.3
Gender
Male
Female		70.1
71.5		4.7
6.7		6.6
4.8		18.7
17.0
Race
White
Black
Other		70.0
73.1
77.3		6.7
3.0
4.4		5.0
6.7
9.8		18.3
17.2
8.6
Marital Status
Married
Widowed
Never married
Separated/divorced		69.8
78.2
72.6
69.5		6.6
5.0
3.6
7.3		2.7
9.3
7.6
8.8		20.9
7.5
16.3
14.5
Education
Less than 12 years
12 years
Greater than 12 years
Missing		72.1
72.3
67.0
67.8		3.6
6.1
8.5
9.2		4.6
4.8
8.0
6.4		19.7
16.9
16.5
16.6
Poverty
Below line
Above line
Unknown		73.0
69.6
73.5		3.6
7.1
4.5		9.0
4.1
5.8		14.5
19.3
16.3
Employment (last 2 weeks)
Working
Not in labor force
Unemployed		64.3
72.0
77.1		5.0
6.3
3.3		8.0
5.1
3.7		22.6
16.7
16.0
Level of IADL/ADL Disability
IADL Only
1-2 ADLs
3-6 ADLs		73.7
70.3
62.5		3.6
6.5
12.2		6.5
3.4
5.7		16.1
19.9
19.6
Functional Limitations
Lower body only
Upper body only
Upper and lower body
Neither		73.7
87.1
68.5
70.6		4.6
0.0
9.6
2.3		4.6
0.0
6.3
5.8		17.2
12.9
15.6
21.4
Mobility Equipment
User
Nonuser		67.5
72.0		6.7
5.7		8.6
4.6		17.3
17.8
Wheelchair
User
Nonuser		53.8
73.4		16.0
4.4		12.7
4.5		17.5
17.7
Problem with Dizziness
Yes
No		76.9
70.1		6.8
5.7		4.3
5.8		12.1
18.4
Difficulty Seeing
Yes
No		70.3
70.8		6.4
5.8		8.3
5.0		15.0
18.4
Difficulty Hearing
Yes
No		67.8
71.5		5.4
5.9		10.3
5.0		16.6
17.6
Difficulty Communicating
Yes
No		69.8
70.9		6.0
5.9		6.1
5.4		18.2
17.7
Difficulty Understanding Others
Yes
No		67.1
71.2		9.6
5.5		6.2
5.5		17.0
17.8
Mental Retardation
Yes
No		69.5
71.0		3.3
6.2		7.8
5.2		19.4
17.6

Source: 1994 Disability Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey.

Page last reviewed January 2001
Internet Citation: Table 3. Characteristics of Long-term Care (LTC) Users Living in the Community, Aged 18-64, by Type of Care, 1994: The Characteristics of Long-term Care Users. January 2001. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://archive.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/long-term-care/resources/facilities/ltcusers/tab3use.html