Specifically, the question was posed only if a person had not already been identified as limited in:

• Child's play activities (LAPLAYAL, LAPLAYAM);

• Receiving Special Education or Early Intervention Services (LASPED, LASPEDEM);

• Needing help with personal care needs (LADL), including bathing (LABATH), getting out of bed or chairs (LABED), dressing (LADRESS), eating (LAEAT), getting around at home (LAHOME);

• Needing help with routine chores, such as everyday household tasks, doing necessary business, and shopping (LAIADL);

• Working at a job or business (LANOWORK, LAMTWRK);

• Walking without using special equipment (LAWALK);

• Having difficulty remembering or experiencing periods of confusion (LAMEMRY).

Because the range of activities covered by these other variables is broad, it is not clear what other types of activities and limitations might have occurred to respondents to report for LAOTHER. Neither the question wording nor the Field Representative's Manual gave any guidance about whether specific additional limitations (e.g., an inability to engage in prolonged and vigorous exercise, to read very fine print, or to consume certain foods due to allergic reactions) should be reported in response to this query. Because of the ambiguity of the subject matter for LAOTHER, researchers interested in functional limitations may wish to focus on the more clearly-defined limitation variables listed above.

In 1997, LAIADL collected information about all persons age 5 and older who "needed the help of other persons in handling routine needs, such as everyday household chores, doing necessary business, shopping, or getting around for other purposes" due to "a physical, mental, or emotional problem." Beginning in 1998, the question was reserved for persons age 18 and older.

As the Survey Description Document for 1998 explains,