Comparação da capacidade funcional, equilíbrio postural e risco de quedas entre idosos das zonas urbana e rural

Abstract

Introduction: Aging causes gradual and inevitable changes in the lives of the elderly, leading to consequences such as disability, reduced strength, and lack of balance. For healthy aging, it is essential to maintain greater functional independence and autonomy. Objective: To compare the functional capacity, postural balance, and risk of falls among elderly individuals in urban and rural areas. Methodology: A comparative, observational, and quantitative study was conducted with 38 elderly individuals, divided into urban (n=19) and rural (n=19) groups. The participants underwent the Lawton and Brody Scale to assess functional capacity, the Berg Balance Test to analyze static and dynamic balance, and the Functional Reach Test to observe the risk of falls. Results: The average age of the participants was 66.34 years (±4.94). Regarding education, incomplete or complete primary education prevailed. The two groups were homogeneous in terms of age (p=0.97), gender (p=0.52), and education (p=1.00). In terms of functional capacity, there was no significant difference between the research groups (p=0.89). The balance of elderly individuals in rural areas was significantly higher compared to those in urban areas (p=0.05), as well as the risk of falls was lower (p=0.04). Conclusion: We found that the results regarding functional capacity were similar between elderly individuals in urban and rural areas. Elderly individuals in urban areas exhibited lower balance and a higher risk of falls compared to those in rural areas.