Background: The recovery of people initially disabled was addressed using the National Institute of Health and Medical Research Upper-Normandy survey, conducted on a representative sample of the older population from 1978 to 1999.
Methods: The survey was based on 1082 older people aged 65 and over. A follow-up was organized to register mortality and disability at point 3, 6, 10 and 20 years. Among the persons initially disabled were taken into account those who were able to go outside their home without help during the 20-year follow-up. Each case of recovery was validated.
Results: Among the 1046 subjects for whom data could be analyzed, 218 presented mobility disability necessitating help to go outside their home. Recovery from disability was observed in 23 subjects (10.5%; CI: 6.5-14.5). Among the 195 subjects (89.5%) without any recovery, 107 (49%) had died before 4 years, 44 (20%) had died between 4 and 6 years, and 44 (20%) survived with disability more than 6 years. The rate of recovery was 18.6% before age 80, and 4.1% for people aged 80 and over. It was 1.3% for home-confined or bed- or chair-confined people and 15.4% for the others. Before age 80 the recovery rate was significantly higher in women. No recovery was observed for people with mental deterioration. Cerebrovascular diseases were significantly associated with a low rate of recovery (5%).
Conclusions: Recovery from disability should be taken into account for the health prospects of the elderly population. It concerns about one person out of five before the age of 80. Increased rate of recovery after the age of 80 should be one of the objectives for the health system in the future.