PREDICTORS OF FUNCTIONAL DEPENDENCE AMONG INDIVIDUALS AGED 50 YEARS AND OLDER: A 4-YEAR FOLLOW-UP STUDY

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To verify the effect of change and/or maintenance of poor sociodemographic factors, lifestyle and health conditions on the incidence of functional dependence for instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in people aged 50 years or older living in urban settings. METHODS: The relationship between IADLs and risk factors was analyzed in a prospective 4-year follow-up study involving 412 participants. Relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated using Poisson regression models, adjusted for sex, age and education. RESULTS: The incidence of dependence for IADLs was 18.9%. Functional dependence was independently associated with lower socioeconomic status (RR = 2.03, 95%CI 1.24–3.32), lack of occupational activity (RR = 2.46, 95%CI 1.31–4.61), inadequate fruit and vegetable intake (RR = 1.90, 95%CI 1.06–3.38) and poor performance in the Mini Mental State Examination (RR = 2.52, 95%CI 1.53–4.17). The association between functional dependence and diabetes mellitus approached statistical significance (RR = 1.39, 95%CI 0.92–2.10). CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that worse socioeconomic conditions and chronic health issues were associated with the incidence of dependence for IADLs. These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive and interdisciplinary health care for populations with these characteristics.

Keywords

• prospective studies
• disability
• middle age
• risk factors