Functional dependence and biopsychosocial profile in elderly people
Mónica Muñoz Peñailillo, Sara Mendoza Parra, Alide Salazar Molina

SUMMARY

   The purpose of this study was to identify the biopsychosocial characteristics and the level of functional dependence in elderly people at the public health system in a south region of Chile.

   The descriptive and tranversal methodology considered a universe conformed by 117,000 elderly, with 65 years old and over, and a random probabilistic sample of 575 responses. Information was collected through personal interviews at homes of the subjects. We used a questionnaire which included sociodemographic and psychosocial questions, and scales to test the basic and instrumental functional dependence behaviour (Katz, Lawton).

   The results showed that 59% are women, 64% has 70 and over and 79% knows how to read and to write. Being in their majority house owners and workers, 30% lives with families with 4 members and 11% lives alone. The functional dependence activities, mensured with Kast index shows 19.7% of dependence and the Lawton and Brody index, classified to 87.3% of the elderly with dependence. It is necessary to continue investigating this group and to look for correlations between biopsychosocial variables and functional dependence to guide a more effective nursing care.

KEY WORDS

Elderly, instrumental and basic functional dependence behavior, biopsychosocials variables in elderly.

Vol. 15 nº1-2004