Perceived neighborhood characteristics and the functional performance of elderly people in the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Area, Minas Gerais State, Brazil: a quantile regression analysis

Abstract

This study aims to examine the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and the functional performance of elderly people living in the Belo Horizonte metropolitan area, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Data of a representative sample of 2,033 elderly were analyzed using quantile regression. Functional performance was measured by the number of activities of daily living (ADL) the elderly had difficulty to perform. The neighborhood characteristics evaluated were: maintenance, trust, insecurity and defective sidewalks. Functional performance was found positively associated with the characteristic defective sidewalks, whose effect increased as the number of ADL the elderly had difficulty to perform increased. The results suggest that inadequate sidewalk conditions can contribute to functional losses in elderly people, especially among those who are functionally more compromised.

Aspects of social participation and neighborhood perception

“…Although they were not significantly associated with social participation in this study, it is important to note that concerns about leaving home because of defects in sidewalks (51%) and the perception of a very unsafe neighborhood (37%) are factors identified as barriers to the social participation of older adults in other studies 4 , 9 , 12 . According to the WHO, inadequate sidewalks in urban centers are almost universal problems.…”

“…Marital status is an aspect of the life of older adults that is constantly explored in studies on aging 9 , 12 , 20 . On the one hand, living with a partner can increase the social life of older adults and favor their health care and participation.…”

“…According to the WHO, inadequate sidewalks in urban centers are almost universal problems. The conditions of sidewalks have an impact on the functionality of older adults 9 , 12 and they affect their movement in cities 4 . In relation to the perception of violence in the neighborhood, it interferes with the motivation of persons to leave their homes, decreases their autonomy, independence, and physical activity, impairs their physical and emotional health, and has a negative impact on social participation 1 , 4 , 9 , 13 .…”

“…When these resources and the particularities of individuals interact and negatively impact mobility, the result is the triggering of processes of exclusion 4 . Therefore, the characteristics of the neighborhood can be measured based on the perception of the individuals who enjoy it 9 , 12 , 13 . Attributes typically external to the individual are extremely relevant for the exercise of citizenship, in addition to being potentially modifiable 9 .…”

Equilíbrio, mobilidade e condição de saúde de idosos que frequentam programas públicos de exercícios físicos

“…Este trabalho evidenciou que idosos inseridos em programas públicos de exercícios físicos apresentaram melhor capacidade funcional do que os não inseridos. A comparação do estado funcional pode ser difícil, pois existem diversas formas de realizar esta avaliação (30). Entretanto, em todos os instrumentos utilizados neste estudo, com exceção da FPM do sexo masculino, os idosos do GE tiveram melhor desempenho funcional.…”