This cross-sectional study examined whether the relationship between income and severity of
functional impairment in basic activities of daily living was influenced by source of data (self vs. proxy respondent). The relationship was examined in a national sample of community-resident functionally impaired elderly with 29% of data provided by proxy respondents (n =
3,649). The data source was the 1982 National Long-Term Care Survey (NLTCS). The analysis
was carried out among self-respondents, among elderly who had proxy respondents, and in the
combined data set. Multivariate results provided strong support for the conclusion that data
provided by proxy respondents did not bias the relationship under investigation in this study
sample. Results of the study are only generalizable to community-resident functionally impaired
elderly and as reflected by the NLTCS definition of functional impairment. Implications of this
analysis for use of proxy respondents in the elderly population are discussed.
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