Predictors of functional status among community dwelling elderly

A differential design study to analyze the influence of personal and familial factors of community dwelling elderly on functional status was conducted in Ranebennur Taluk of Haveri district of Karnataka on a sample of 180 (90 rural and 90 urban) elderly. A self-structured schedule, Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), Geriatric Depression Scale-short form (GDS), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Aggarwal socioeconomic status scale (SES) and anthropometric measurements were assessed. The results revealed that marital status, cognitive status and nutritional status were the important predictors of activities of daily living among rural elderly, while age, gender, cognitive status and working status were the significant predictors of instrumental activities of daily living. With regard to urban elderly, depression, health problems, nutritional status and type of family were the significant predictors of activities of daily living, whereas gender, depression, education, working status and living arrangement were the important predictors of instrumental activities of daily living. Identification of these determinants is necessary to facilitate the development of interventions to prevent or delay the onset of further decline in these groups.