FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY IN ELDERLY*

Objective: To identify the prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms and functional capacity in the elderly. Method: Analytical cross-sectional study with 100 elderly individuals in a Basic Health Unit (UBS) in northern Brazil. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Katz scale and the Lawton and Brody scale were used. Data was analyzed with Pearson’s Chi-square test, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient and Student’s t tests, and a p value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence of symptoms of depression was estimated at 22%. It was higher in elderly people with poor self-rated health, sedentary and who did not participate in social groups. Functional dependency of elderly for performing instrumental activities of daily living was estimated at 46%. It was associated with depressive symptoms and old age. Conclusion: The use of instruments for early detection of depressive symptoms and functional disability allows risk stratification and prevention of the worsening of these living conditions of the elderly. DESCRIPTORS: Aging; Elderly; Depression; Quality of life; Elderly Health. HOW TO REFERENCE THIS ARTICLE: Uchoa V, Chaves LL, Botelho EP, Polaro SHI, Oliveira M de FV de. Factors associated with depressive symptoms and functional capacity in elderly. Cogitare enferm. [Internet]. 2019 [access “insert day, monh and year”]; 24. Available at: http://dx.doi. org/10.5380/ce.v24i0. 60868. 1Nurse. Master in Nursing. Nursing Professor at Faculdade Estácio. Castanhal, PA, Brazil. 2Nurse. Specialist in Health Care of Elderly. Universidade Federal do Pará. Belém, PA, Brazil. 3Nurse. PhD, Biological Sciences. Professor, Nursing Graduate Program, Universidade Federal do Pará. Belém, PA, Brazil. 4Nurse. PhD, Nursing. Professor, Nursing Graduate Program, Universidade Federal do Pará. Belém, PA, Brazil. 5Nuse. PhD, Nursing. Professor, Nursing Graduate Program, Universidade Federal do Pará. Belém, PA, Brazil. *Article extracted from the master’s dissertation “Depressive symptoms, cognitive decline and functional impairment in the elderly”. Universidade Federal do Pará, 2017. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. dx.doi. org/10.5380/ce.v24i0. 60868 Cogitare enferm. 24: e60868, 2019 Verediana Sousa Uchoa1, Leyvilane Libdy Chaves2, Eliã Pinheiro Botelho3, Sandra Helena Isse Polaro4, Marília de Fátima Vieira de Oliveira5 FATORES ASSOCIADOS A SINTOMAS DEPRESSIVOS E CAPACIDADE FUNCIONAL EM IDOSOS RESUMO Objetivo: identificar a prevalência e fatores associados a sintomas depressivos e capacidade funcional em idosos. Método: estudo analítico, de corte transversal, realizado com 100 idosos em Unidade Básica de Saúde do norte do Brasil. Aplicou-se a Escala de Depressão Geriátrica, escalas de Katz e de Lawton e Brody. Os dados foram analisados por meio dos testes Qui-quadrado de Pearson, Correlação Linear de Pearson e t de Student com nível de significância estatística valor de p-valor <0,05. Resultados: a prevalência de sintomas depressivos foi de 22%, sendo maior em idosos com autopercepção ruim da saúde, sedentários e não participantes de grupos de convivência. A dependência nas atividades instrumentais da vida diária foi de 46% com associação a sintomas depressivos e idade avançada. Conclusão: o uso de instrumentos para detecção precoce de sintomas depressivos e incapacidade funcional permite a estratificação de risco e prevenção do agravamento dessas condições de vida do idoso. DESCRITORES: Envelhecimento; Idoso; Depressão; Qualidade de Vida; Saúde do Idoso. Verediana Sousa Uchoa | Leyvilane Libdy Chaves | Eliã Pinheiro Botelho | Sandra Helena Isse Polaro | Marília de Fátima Vieira de Oliveira ARTIGO ORIGINAL / ARTÍCULO ORIGINAL FACTORES ASOCIADOS A SÍNTOMAS DE DEPRESIÓN Y CAPACIDAD FUNCIONAL EN ANCIANOS RESUMEN: Objetivo: identificar la prevalencia y los factores asociados a síntomas de depresión así como la capacidad funcional en ancianos. Método: estudio analítico, de cohorte trasversal, que se realizó con 100 ancianos en Unidad Básica de Salud del norte de Brasil. Se utilizó la Escala de Depresión Geriátrica, escalas de Katz y de Lawton y Brody. Se analizaron los datos por medio de los tests Chi cuadrado de Pearson, Correlación Linear de Pearson y t de Student con nivel de significancia estadística valor de p-valor <0,05. Resultados: la prevalencia de síntomas de depresión fue de 22%, siendo más alta en ancianos con auto percepción mala de la salud, sedentarios y no participantes de grupos de convivencia. La dependencia en las actividades instrumentales de la vida diaria fue de 46% con asociación a síntomas depresivos y edad avanzada. Conclusión: el uso de instrumentos para detección precoz de síntomas de depresión e incapacidad funcional permite la estratificación de riesgo y prevención del agravio de esas condiciones de vida del anciano. DESCRIPTORES: Envejecimiento; Anciano; Depresión; Calidad de Vida; Salud del Anciano. dx.doi. org/10.5380/ce.v24i0. 60868 Cogitare enferm. 24: e60868, 2019 Cogitare enferm. 24: e60868, 2019 Factors associated with depressive symptoms and functional capacity in elderly INTRODUCTION There has been a rapid increase in the size of the elderly population in Brazil. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), in 2013 there were more than 26 million elderly people in the country (12.5% of the population), and according to projections of IBGE, there will be 32 million elderly people by 2025(1). The main concern with the increase in the number of elderly individuals is related to functional losses and the degree of dependency that these individuals may have throughout their lives (2). Functionality is one’s ability to decide and act independently. Functional disability, on the other hand, is the difficulty in performing certain activities of daily living or even the impossibility of performing them (3). These activities are classified into basic activities of daily living (BADL), related to self-care, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), of greater complexity and related to independent living in the community(3). Functional capacity decreases with age. However, it is not only related to physiological processes, but also to social, cultural and behavioral factors (4). Mental disorders deserve special attention in the elderly because they are intrinsically related to increased vulnerability and occurrence of functional disability, with emphasis on depression, the most prevalent disorder in this age group. Epidemiological studies indicate a prevalence rate of depression of approximately 18% in community-living elderly(5), and in hospitalized and institutionalized elderly this rate is even higher, varying according to the instrument used(6). Depression is one of the fastest rising mental health conditions in the world and is the result of a complex interaction of social, psychological and biological factors. For this reason, it is one of the priority conditions covered by the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) of the World Health Organization (WHO) (7). Depression and functional capacity are intrinsically related to each other, since depression contributes to increased morbidity and later impairment of functional status, and functional losses associated with aging can often lead to depression (8). According to the recommendations of the Brazilian National Health Policy for Elderly Persons (PNSPI), a comprehensive health assessment of this population must include tests for measuring the mental and functional health of elderly people(9). However, the rates of recognition of depressive symptoms in the elderly in primary care are low, and the symptoms are often mistaken for physiological manifestations of aging or masked by symptoms of other concomitant conditions(5). Identifying the factors associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms, as well as the functional impairments generated by this condition, allows us to assist in the prevention and early identification of these symptoms, through the implementation of specific intervention strategies to prevent or minimize damage to the quality of life of elderly individuals. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms and functional capacity in the elderly population.