Examining the factors associated with functional capacity of community-dwelling older adults using the ICF framework: a cross-sectional study from the Frailty in Brazilian Older Adults Study (FIBRA)

Background There are many factors associated with functioning and disability in older adults and these relationships are not clear. Objective To explore the factors associated with functional capacity of older adults using the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Methods This is a cross-sectional study with a dataset from a survey of 1 377 community-dwelling older adults (>= 65 years) in a middle-income country. Three functional outcomes were selected to represent the functioning domains: 1) muscle strength for body function; 2) walking speed for activity; and 3) advanced activities of daily living (ADL) for participation. Demographic, clinical, and social information was selected to represent the domains of health conditions and contextual factors (i.e. personal and environmental factors). Multivariate models tested the impact of these factors on each outcome. Results Depressive symptoms, age, and physical activity were associated with the three outcomes. Muscle strength was also associated with urinary incontinence, visual deficits, female sex, and employment. Walking speed was also associated with urinary incontinence, obesity, fractures due to falls, female sex, health professionals' visits, and walking aid devices. Advanced ADL were also associated with stroke, visual deficits, education, employment, health perception, social support, and walking aid devices. Conclusion Functional capacity of older adults is associated with some non-modifiable factors, such as age and sex. The modifiable factors must be addressed by health professionals and policymakers in the geriatric area, especially depression, obesity, physical inactivity, and social support.