Trends in Disability in France over the Two Past Decades in the Light of the International Context and the Theoretical Explanations for the Disability Pattern

Emmanuelle Cambois, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)
Pierre Mormiche, Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (INSEE)

For the third time in France, the national health survey, conducted in 1980-1981, 1991-1992 and 2002-2003, includes the same general question on disability and allows to continue the chronological series initiated in 1980 : over the 1980's the French population experienced a decreasing prevalence for the severe and moderate levels of disability. As this most favorable situation appeared to be atypical compared to what happened elsewhere, this third point in the French series allows to assess whether these trends continued. Additional questions allow to further describe the population reporting disability, using detailed questions on different dimensions of functional health. This complementary analysis, which was not possible in the previous periods, suggests the underlying mechanisms explaining the French trends. These new results contribute to the international debate while conclusions are not so congruent from one country to another.