Functional Disability Among Middle-Aged and Older Cancer Survivors in India: Associations with Multimorbidity and Comparison with Adults Without Cancer

Functional disability remains undercharacterized among Indian cancer survivors. This cross-sectional study analysed nationally representative LASI Wave 1 data from 442 survivors aged ≥45 years using survey-weighted methods. ADL and IADL disability prevalences were 26.8% and 50.4%, respectively. Women had higher adjusted odds of IADL disability, while middle or secondary education was protective against both outcomes. Multimorbidity showed no independent association. Compared with 65,991 respondents without cancer, survivors had higher adjusted odds of ADL (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.05-2.64) and IADL disability (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.18-2.40). Findings highlight the need for routine functional assessment and integrated survivorship rehabilitation.