A population-based study on factors associated with functional disability among older adults in the Great Metropolitan Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar os fatores associados ?? incapacidade funcional entre idosos na Regi??o Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte, Minas Ge-rais, Brasil. O modelo te??rico adotado foi baseado em caracter??sticas predisponentes (s??cio-demogr??ficas), fatores extra-individuais (apoio social, uso de servi??os de sa??de) e intra-individuais (condi????es de sa??de). Participaram do estudo 1.786 idosos (???60 anos) selecionados por meio de amostra probabil??stica. A vari??-vel dependente foi a incapacidade funcional, definida como incapacidade leve ou moderada (alguma difi-culdade) e grave (total depend??ncia) para realizar ati-vidades da vida di??ria. A preval??ncia da incapacidade foi de 16% (8% leve e 8% grave). Idade e pior auto-avalia????o da sa??de apresentaram associa????es positivas e independentes com ambos os n??veis de incapacidade. Hipertens??o e artrite apresentaram associa????es com incapacidade leve ou moderada, enquanto diabetes e acidente vascular cerebral apresentaram associa????es com incapacidade grave. Associa????o negativa com incapacidade grave foi observada para visita de amigos nos ??ltimos trinta dias. Esses resultados mostram que as condi????es cr??nicas associadas ?? incapacidade na popula????o estudada s??o pass??veis de preven????o e que o apoio social externo ?? fam??lia ?? menor em idosos com incapacidade grave.This study assessed factors associated with func-tional disability in old age in Greater Metropoli-tan Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The theoretical model was based on predispos-ing (socio-demographic), extra-individual (social support, use of health services), and intra-individual factors (health conditions). The study was conducted in a probabilistic sample of 1,786 subjects aged ???60 years. The dependent variable was disability defined as mild (some difficulty) or severe (total dependence) in performing at least one basic activity of daily living. Prevalence of disability was 16% (8% mild; 8% severe). Age and worse self-rated health were indepen-dently and positively associated with mild and severe disability. Self-reported hypertension and arthritis were associated with mild disability, while diabetes and stroke were associated with severe disability. Severe disability was independently and negatively associated with number of visits by friends in the previous 30 days. According to the results, chronic conditions associ-ated with disability in the study population are preventable, and severely disabled elderly had less extra-family social suppor