Fatores associados ao equilíbrio funcional de pessoas idosas residentes na cidade de Maceió – Alagoas

Abstract

Due to the deleterious effects of the aging process, functional capacity diminishes, and one of these losses related to functional capacity is the body's balance, a crucial ability for the autonomy of the elderly person. The objective of this study was to assess dynamic and static balance and the associated factors. A total of 228 elderly individuals, including both genders and residents of Maceió/AL, were studied. For data collection, a questionnaire with demographic information, the Tandem Test to assess dynamic balance, and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test for static balance were utilized. Poisson regression was used for data analysis to investigate the relationship between the Tandem and TUG variables with sociodemographic data. From the sample of 228 individuals who participated in this study, 69.16% were female and 30.83% were male, with an average age of 70.74 years. In the TUG test, 97 participants completed the task in less than 10 seconds on the first attempt, and this number increased to 101 participants on the second attempt. The Tandem test was conducted by 149 participants on the first attempt, while 17 participants were unable to complete it in any of the 3 attempts. The results of the Tandem and TUG tests compared with the level of education showed a p-value (<0.001), leading to the conclusion that the obtained results revealed that higher levels of education influence the performance on the tests effectively. However, there was no correlation between balance and other factors, such as gender, marital status, skin color, and employment status. The values for static and dynamic balances were positive, and most of the sample completed the test. However, in the TUG, it is crucial to pay attention to those who took more than 20 seconds to complete the test, as it may indicate future falls and a decrease in functional capacities. In the Tandem test, most participants succeeded in the first attempt, but it is essential to emphasize caution for those who were unable to complete the test in any of the 3 attempts, as they may have a higher risk of falls and functional decline.