Biopsychosocial factors of disability in elderly adults

Abstract

Introduction: aging is a process of progressive changes that have repercussions on the physical and mental functionality of the elderly; at the same time, it is the best indicator of health in the population at this age. Objective: to identify the biopsychosocial factors of disability that affect the elderly of the Medical Clinic #19, of the José Elías Borges Polyclinic in the municipality of Minas de Matahambre, during the period from June 2020 to May 2022. Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in elderly adults, in whom the Mini-Mental Examination was applied to know the cognitive status of each patient, as well as, the Lawton Scale to evaluate their physical capacity, in addition to a survey to evaluate disability risk factors. The sample was selected by criteria and consisted of 200 patients. Descriptive statistics were used with the use of frequency distribution and percentage. Results: the predominant age group was 60 to 69 years, female sex and secondary school level. In the mental sphere, more than half of the elderly studied presented a normal cognitive state, with independence in the instrumented activities of daily life; among the biological risk factors, arterial hypertension prevailed, and among the psychosocial risk factors, the loss of social role stood out. Conclusions: the aging process of the Cuban population maintains an accelerated pace, being an achievement of the society that reflects the advances of health system.