Abstract

GARCIA OTERO, Marién et al. Physical disability in the elderly at a Popular Council. Pinar del Rio. Rev Ciencias Médicas [online]. 2012, vol.16, n.5, pp. 56-66. ISSN 1561-3194.

Introduction: aging, oppose to growing, is not a genetic programmed phenomenon, it is a lethal, progressive, intrinsic and universal process, that occurs in every living being as a consequence of the individual genetic features and environmental interaction. Objective: to describe the behavior of physical disability in the elderly. Material and Method: observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted comprising the old population at "Hermanos Barcon" Popular Council during 2010 in Pinar del Rio. The target group included 2567 old people, and the sample was chosen through a two-staged conglomeration, where the first-stage included 15 Doctor's Offices from the popular council; out them 2 were selected by a simple, at random sampling (number 199 and 214 Doctor's Offices), following Lawton's index to collect the information. Results: the rates for the specific prevalence of physical disabilities in each of the biological and social variables under study were estimated, as well as the calculation of the intervals of confidence up to 95% to the respective rates of prevalence. Female sex showed the highest occurrence rates of physical disabilities along with the group of 80 years old or more, and low levels of instruction. Conclusions: the main limitations to perform the instrumented daily activities were those that required movements from one place to another out of their houses, followed by those into their houses.

Keywords : Aged [physiology]; Frail elderly.

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