Quality of life and functional capacity of elderly people with osteoporosis

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional household survey aimed to compare functional disability evaluation score and quality of life index score among elderly people with osteoporosis considering gender, age, marital status and income. The 553 participants notified self-reported osteoporosis. The semi-structured instruments WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD were employed. Data were analysed by SPSS software using frequency distribution and the Student's t- test, ANOVA-F, Kruskal Wallis and chi-square tests (p <0,05). The majority were female, aged between 60 and 70 years old, widowed and with an income of up to one minimum wage. A comparison between gender and income with the functional disability index revealed no significant difference. A higher index of disability was found among those aged 80 years old or more and living without a partner. In WHOQOL-BREF they obtained higher scores in the social relationship domain and a lower one in the physical health. In WHOQOL-OLD higher scores were obtained in the sensory abilities facet and lower ones in autonomy. Older women present lower scores on death and dying facet. Those aged 80 years old or more presented a lower score in the physical domain and sensory abilities facet. Widowers obtained lower scores in social relationships and those earning a minimum wage, in the psychological domain.