Abstract
The Latin America and Caribbean region is experiencing one of the fastest rates of population aging, but research on age-related disability is limited, particularly in Central America. The aim of this study was to examine limitations in the performance of basic activities of daily living (BADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and their association with sociodemographic and health-related factors in a sample of adults aged 65 and older in Panama. Cross-sectional data are reported for 370 community-dwelling elderly outpatients (144 males, 226 females) without dementia. Self-reported BADL and IADL limitations were the outcomes. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between sociodemographic and health characteristics and at least one limitation or severe (four or more) limitations. Approximately half (53.5%) and one-third (66.8%) of participants reported at least one BADL and IADL limitation, respectively. Increased age (≥ 80 years), being male, less education, and a history of stroke were independently and significantly associated with BADL limitations. The same variables, in addition to reporting four or more chronic illnesses, were independently and significantly associated with IADL limitations. The results are consistent with previous research in low and middle-income countries regarding the factors associated with BADL and IADL disability in older adults. Assessing the extent of disability among Panama’s elderly population is vital for identifying those at risk of transitioning to worse states of health over the course of aging and designing specific interventions to meet the needs of older adults.
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Acknowledgements
We thank the administration and support staff of the Complejo Hospitalario Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid de la Caja de Seguro Social for their assistance in conducting this study and the following collaborators from the Panama Aging Research Initiative: Aquiles Aguilar MD, Frank Ferro MD, Patricia González MD, Vanessa González MD, Luis Lee MD, María Mendieta MD, Ribana Molino MD, Josué Morales MD, Viterbo Osorio MD, and Ramón Zarak MD.
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This research was supported by the Melo Brain Project, the National Secretariat of Science Technology and Innovation (SENACYT) of Panama (AEV and GBB), Universidad Católica Santa María la Antigua (SRUI-CPEI-ID-PSI-2013-2014-003) and the National Research System (SNI) of Panama (GBB, AEV, MBC).
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study and participant confidentiality was not breached in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (1964).
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The study protocol was approved by the National Bioethics Committee of the Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud and the Institutional Bioethics Committee of the hospital of the Social Security of Panama (CSS). (Both IRB letters are available upon request).
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Villarreal, A.E., Grajales, S., López, L. et al. Limitations in Activities of Daily Living among Dementia-Free Older Adults in Panama. Ageing Int 43, 237–253 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-018-9321-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-018-9321-2