Background:

functional dependence considers the presence of limitations in daily activities and is related to the decrease in all abilities and interaction with the environment. This factor is related to different comorbidities that occur in older adults. One of these comorbidities is diabetes mellitus.

Objective:

to determine the prevalence of functional dependence in elderly patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the day clinic and outpatient clinic of the Naval Geriatric Center in the period 2010-2015.

Method:

a cross-sectional study was carried out with secondary analysis of the Texas-Camena UTMB 2010-2015 database of the San Martín de Porres University Center for Research on Aging. Functional dependence was considered as a dependent variable and the independent variables were sociodemographic characteristics and personal and pathological antecedents. Descriptive statistics were performed based on the calculation of frequencies, percentages, dispersion and measures of central tendency. To find the association between the independent variables and the functional dependence, the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used. The calculations were made with a confidence level of 95 %.

Results:

the average age was 77.5 ± 8 years. In 9 patients (3.3 %) total dependence was detected; in 5 (1.9 %) it was severe; in 154 (57.0 %) it was moderate; and in 33 (12.2 %) it was low. Of them 69 (25.6 %) did not have dependency. The age range of 83-100 years old was an independent associated factor for presenting functional dependence (OR = 2.64 95 % CI [1.071-6.510]).

Conclusions:

the 73.4 % of the study population presented some level of functional dependence, with the age range of 83-100 years old being an independent factor associated with presenting functional dependence.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )