Effect of early conditions on disability among the elderly in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Poor early conditions have been associated with increasing risks of some chronic diseases during adulthood. Since chronic illnesses are known to be important risk factors for disability, poor early conditions should predict disability at older ages. In addition, recent literature suggests that poor early conditions may affect the risk of disability even in the absence of chronic illnesses. We aimed to evaluate the magnitude of differentials in the risk of being disabled according to early conditions experienced by elderly populations in Latin America and the Caribbean, and to identify the group of chronic illnesses responsible for it. We find that poor early conditions exert a strong influence on disability later in life in two ways: by increasing the risk of suffering disability-related chronic illnesses and by increasing the risks of suffering disabilities by those with chronic illnesses.