[Factors associated with functional incapacity among the elderly in Guatambu, Santa Catarina State, Brazil].

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of functional incapacity and associated factors. A cross-sectional population-based study included 352 elderly subjects (> or =60 years) in a small Brazilian town. Community-based health workers conducted structured interviews. Functional incapacity was measured by the Barthel index. Data analysis used Poisson regression to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and the respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Prevalence of any kind of functional incapacity (mild, moderate, severe, or total) was 30.5% (95%CI: 25.6-35.2). Functional incapacity was higher (p < 0.05) in illiterates compared to those with > 5 years of schooling (PR = 2.21; 95%CI: 1.02-4.79); in people with low versus high quality of life (PR = 1.83; 95%CI: 1.13-2.97); in those with poor versus good self-rated health (PR = 1.73; 95%CI: 1.11-2.69); and in retired individuals compared to those working regularly (PR = 2.12; 95%CI: 1.19-3.78). Our results suggest that functional capacity involves interaction among multidimensional factors including self-reported health, independent daily life, and psychosocial and socioeconomic factors.