ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING AND ITS CORRELATES IN ADULTS 50 YEARS AND OLDER IN BUKAN, NORTHWEST OF IRAN; A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Aging is associated with gradual erosive changes in the physiological function of
many systems of the body. Ths study aimed to examine the physical functioning and limitation and its
related factors in people aged 50 and older in Bukan, 2017.
Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study 1201 elderly people aged 50 years and up were
recruited from health recentres in Bukan city using stratified random sampling. Study information were
collected by trained interviewers including demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, fall
history, visual and hearing status, comorbidities, BMI, physical activity (PASE), social support
(DUKE), cognitive function (MMSE) and depression (CES-D-10) as well as physical functioning which
was assessed by TUG test and and mobility limitation which was assessed using a 10 items questionnaire
(MOS-PA). To analyze the data, we used various testes including analysis of variance, linear regression
and logistic regression models.
Results: The mean of the physical functioning was 10.7 ± 3.53 seconds, and 14.2% of study participants
had a severe physical limitation. The results showed that BMI, physical activity, fear of fall, economic
and job status were significantly associated with physical function (respectively, β= 1.638-1.495- 0.3-
0.014- 0.148). Also, age, sex, cognitive function, depression, social support, visual status had a
significant correlation with physical limitation (respectively OR=0.631- 0.929- 0357- 0.922- 0.415-
1.048).
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that psychological and socio-demographic factors are
predictors of physical functioning and limitation in older adults. Therefore, it seems that improving the
determinants factors, due to the better life and health in older adults