ABSTRACT
Objective:
to investigate the association between socio-demographic and clinical factors and the functional capacity of older adults with leprosy.
Method:
cross-sectional analytical study conducted in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, with 77 older adult patients with leprosy in a referral service, through interview, medical records and application of the Katz Index and the Lawton and Brody Scale.
Results:
the mean age was 68.23 years, with prevalence of men, in stable union/married, with mean monthly family income of 2.04 minimum wages, positive bacillary index, clinical dimorphic form and grade zero disability. In the Lawton and Brody scale, independence (58.5%) was predominant and associated to the variables "living arrangement" and "educational attainment". Total independence (87.0%) was predominant in the Katz Index and statistically associated to the variable monthly family income.
Conclusion:
most of the participants were classified as independent in the instruments used. Furthermore, the instruments pointed to a greater number of associations with socio-demographic and clinical factors not related to leprosy.
Descriptors:
Older adults; Geriatric Assessment; Leprosy; Elderly Health; Mycobacterium leprae