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The scientific literature mentions the existence of factors associated with fear of falling in older adults. However, the direct and indirect paths of its predictors have not yet been fully explored. This study aimed to analyze the socioeconomic, clinical, and health factors directly and indirectly associated with fear of falling in community-dwelling older adults. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in older adults (n = 410 – 70.11 ± 7.22 years). Clinical and health-condition data were collected, as were data on fear of falling using the Falls Efficacy Scale International—Brazil (FES-I Brazil). It was found that being female and having a higher number of self-reported morbidities, worse physical performance, and a higher number of depressive symptoms were directly associated with greater fear of falling. Regarding indirect associations, physical inactivity, mediated by a greater number of morbidities, worse physical performance, and a greater number of depressive symptoms, was associated with greater fear of falling. In addition, worse self-rated health, mediated by a greater number of depressive symptoms, as well as older age, mediated by worse physical performance, were associated with the outcome. This study provides information on the predictors directly and indirectly associated with fear of falling, expanding current understanding of this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to analyze the association of self-reported skin color/race with biopsychosocial indicators in older adults., Method: cross-sectional study conducted with a total of 941 older adults from a health micro-region in Brazil. Data were collected at home with instruments validated for the country. Descriptive analysis and binary, multinomial and linear logistic regression (p<0.05) were performed., Results: Most older adults were self-declared white color/race (63.8%). Black color/race was a protective factor for negative (OR=0.40) and regular (OR=0.44) self-rated health perception and for the indicative of depressive symptoms (OR=0.43); and it was associated with the highest social support score (β=3.60) and the lowest number of morbidities (β=-0.78)., Conclusion: regardless of sociodemographic and economic characteristics, older adults of black color/race had the best outcomes of biopsychosocial indicators.

Objective: to analyze functional disability and its associated factors among community-dwelling older adults., Method: a cross-sectional study, conducted with 1,635 older adults distributed in the following age groups: 60 to 69, 70 to 79, and 80 years old or more, living in a health macro-region of the state of Minas Gerais. Descriptive and trajectory analysis was carried out (p<0.05). The parameters were estimated by the Maximum Likelihood method., Results: the highest percentage was female, with a monthly income of 1 minimum wage and living with a companion. In the age groups from 60 to 69 and from 70 to 79 years old, older adults with a partner predominated; and, among those aged 80 years old or more, widowed individuals prevailed. In the three groups, functional disability occurred hierarchically. Lower schooling, frailty and depressive symptomatology were factors directly associated with functional disability in the advanced activities; frailty and sedentary behavior were directly associated with functional disability in the instrumental activities. In the older adults aged between 60 and 69 years old and from 70 to 79 years old, sedentary behavior was associated with greater dependence on the basic activities., Conclusion: the expanded understanding of the factors in the functional disability of the older adults, according to age group, helps the health professional in the development of preventive measures for this disease.

Objective: to describe the occurrence of COVID-19 and the health services used by elderly individuals living by themselves; identify the knowledge held by elderly individuals regarding the transmission, signs and symptoms of COVID-19, as well as factors associated with poor knowledge of preventive measures according to sociodemographic and clinical variables., Method: cross-sectional survey conducted by telephone or mobile with 123 elderly individuals living by themselves in the Health Macro-Region of Triângulo Sul in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Descriptive analysis was performed along with bivariate and multiple linear regression (p<0.05)., Results: most elderly individuals did not present COVID-19 signs and symptoms (97.5%), were aware of how it is transmitted (86.6%), and of its signs and symptoms (90.8%). The elderly individuals were familiar with four preventive measures on average. After social distancing began, 85.7% of them left home and implemented three preventive measures on average, the most frequent of which was the use of face masks (99.0%). Being a man (p=0.001), 80 years old or older (p=0.045), and having fewer years of schooling (p=0.010) were associated with having less knowledge regarding the COVID-19 preventive measures., Conclusion: the elderly individuals were knowledgeable on COVID-19, but did not implement all the preventive measures. Male elderly individuals living by themselves with a low educational level are more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Background: The scientific literature has shown that an association between polypharmacy and frailty exists. However, few studies have also considered drug interactions and the use of potentially inappropriate medications., Objective: To evaluate the association between the use of drugs and frailty among community-dwelling older people., Design and Setting: Cross-sectional study carried out among 580 older people in Uberaba (MG)., Methods: Data were collected at these older people's homes using instruments validated in Brazil. Descriptive, bivariate and binary logistic regression analyses were performed (P < 0.05)., Results: Most of these individuals were classified as pre-frail (55.7%), while 13.1% were frail. It was found that 31.7% of them presented polypharmacy, 41.7% had drug interactions and 43.8% were using potentially inappropriate medications. In the initial model, polypharmacy (odds ratio, OR = 1.91; confidence interval, CI = 1.27-2.86) and use of potentially inappropriate medications (OR = 2.45; CI = 1.68-3.57) increased the chance that these older people would be pre-frail or frail. In the final adjusted model, use of potentially inappropriate drugs remained associated with the outcome (OR = 2.26; CI = 1.43-3.57)., Conclusion: Use of potentially inappropriate medications was the independent variable that explained the occurrence of frailty in a representative sample of community-dwelling older adults.