Functional capacity and associated factors in the elderly: a population studyOBJECTIVE: To analyze the association of impaired functional capacity with health conditions and sociodemographic and behavioral factors among elderly residents in a community of northeastern Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional population-based study, conducted with 316 elderly residents in Lafaiete Coutinho-BA. Functional capacity was evaluated by hierarchical scaling, by verifying association with health conditions and sociodemographic and behavioral factors by the technique of multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: The dependence for independent activities of daily living (IADL) was associated with the age group > 80 years, use of two or more medications and cognitive impairment. Dependency in basic activities of daily living and IADL was associated with those in the age group > 80 years, with a lack of participation in religious activities, hospitalization in the past 12 months, cognitive impairment and who were overweight. CONCLUSION: There was an association with impaired functional capacity, health conditions and sociodemographic factors among elderly residents in a community in northeastern Brazil.
Aged; Activities of daily living; Socioeconomic factors; Health of the elderly; Risk factors
