Contributory factors for the functional independence of oldest
               old

Cross-sectional quantitative study whose sample consisted of 214 elderly people registered in Basic Health Units. Data were collected through structured interviews and application of the Functional Independence Measure. We used descriptive statistics, and for association of the variables we used the Student t-test, ANOVA and Tukey's test for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS

The significant variables that contributed to the functional independence were remaining economically active, practicing physical and leisure activities, having a social life, eating fruits, vegetables and meat. The orientation to conduct these practices reduces the demand for care and help needed in everyday activities.

CONCLUSION

Maintaining independence is primordial to delay disability and presents itself as an excellent field of work for nursing.

Aged; Aged, 80 and Over; Activities of Daily Living; Geriatric Nursing

Variable	p-value	Variable	p-value
Socioeconomic variables		Corrective lenses	<0.001^ ANOVA
Gender	0.21^* * Student t-test	Use of hearing aids	0.04^* * Student t-test
Age groug	<0.001^ ANOVA	Occurrence of falls	0.02^* * Student t-test
Place o birth	0.67^* * Student t-test	Recent hospitalization	<0.001^* * Student t-test
Skin color	0.24^ ANOVA	Self-perceived health	<0.001^ ANOVA
Education	0.55^ ANOVA	Cognitive impairment	<0.001^ ANOVA
Years of study	0.05^* * Student t-test	Score on the MMSE	<0.001^ ANOVA
Maritual status	0.50^ ANOVA	Pathologies reported	0.35^* * Student t-test
Has children	0.91^* * Student t-test	Number of diseases	0.14^ ANOVA
Number of children	0.01^* * Student t-test	Cardiovascular disease	0.51^* * Student t-test
Lives with	<0.001^ ANOVA	Respiratory disease	0.23^* * Student t-test
Income	0.42^ ANOVA	Endocrine-metabolic disease	0.50^* * Student t-test
Source of Income	0.007^* * Student t-test	Musculoskeletal disease	0.59^* * Student t-test
Type of work during life	0.3^ ANOVA	Stroke History	<0.001^* * Student t-test
Current occupation	0.01^* * Student t-test	Neurological disease	<0.001^* * Student t-test
Social Life variables		Psychiatric disease	0.44^* * Student t-test
Participates of Groups	0.008^* * Student t-test	Urologic disease	0.83^* * Student t-test
Frequency of visits made	<0.001^ ANOVA	Gastroenteric disease	0.62^* * Student t-test
Frequency of visits received	0.03^ ANOVA	Visual deficit	0.19^* * Student t-test
Clinical variables		Hearing deficit	0.07^* * Student t-test
Physical activity	<0.001^ ANOVA	Medication Use	0.58^* * Student t-test
Leisure Activities	<0.001^* * Student t-test	Quantity of medication	0.96^ ANOVA
Smoking	0.45^* * Student t-test	Painkillers	0.41^* * Student t-test
Alcohol	0.62^* * Student t-test	Vitamins	0.91^* * Student t-test
Consumption of fruits	0.04^ ANOVA	CNS medication	0.06^* * Student t-test
Consumption of vegetables	0.04^ ANOVA	Cardiovascular medication	0.55^* * Student t-test
Consumption of milk and derivates	0.14^ ANOVA	Blood medication	0.48^* * Student t-test
Consumption of meat/chicken/fish	0.02^ ANOVA	Gastrointestinal medication	0.38^* * Student t-test
Condition of teeth	<0.001^ ANOVA	Respiratory medication	0.21^* * Student t-test
Use of assistive technologies	<0.001^ ANOVA	Endocrine medication	0.50^* * Student t-test
Bedridden	<0,001^* * Student t-test	Osteoporosis medication	0,03^* * Student t-test

Variable	Categories	Mean mFIM	Mean cFIM	Mean tFIM	Tukey (p-value)	p-value
Source of income	Retired and/or pensioner Family members' Income	77.87	29.95	107.82		0.007
Source of income	Retired and/or pensioner Family members' Income	70.98	27.9	99		0.007
Current ocupation	Yes	85.54	32.25	117.9		0.01
Current ocupation	No	73.71	28.65	102.42		0.01
Does Physical activity	Has done it	83.59	31.95	115.56	"Yes" and "has done it" (0.001)^* * p < 0.05	<0.001
	Never	71.24	27.7	99	"Yes" and "Never" (<0.001)^* * p < 0.05
	Yes	71.76	28.1	99.9	"Has done it" and "Never" (0.97)
Leisure Activities	Yes	78.13	30.25	108.36		<0.001
Leisure Activities	No	53.69	21.4	75.06		<0.001
Participates of groups	Yes	80.47	30.7	111.24		0.008
Participates of groups	No	73.19	28.55	101.7		0.008
Frequency of visits made					"Does not visit" and "Always" (<0.001)^* * p < 0.05	<0.001
	Does not visit	66.82	26	92.88	"Does not visit" and "Sometimes" (<0.001)^* * p < 0.05
	Always	82.16	32.8	115.02	"Does not visit" and "not often" (0.001)^* * p < 0.05
	Sometimes	79.04	30.3	109.26	"Always" and "Sometimes" (0.61)
	Not often	81.64	30.7	112.32	"Always" and "Not often" (0.97)
					"Sometimes" and "Not often" (0.95)
Frequency of visits received					"Not visited" and "Always" (0.02)^* * p < 0.05	0.03
	Not visited	69.68	25.7	95.22	"Not visited" and "Sometimes" (0.52)
	Always	77.09	30.95	108.18	"Not visited" and "Not often" (0.91)
	Sometimes	73.58	28.45	102.06	"Always" and "Sometimes" (0.44)
	Not often	72.67	26.75	99.36	"Always" and "Not often" (0.43)
					"Sometimes" and "Not often" (0.97)
Consumption of fruits	Always	76.05	29.4	105.48	"Always" and "Sometimes" (0.62)	0.043
	Sometimes	72.67	27.9	100.62	"Always" and "Little" (0.04)^* * p < 0.05
	Little	67.21	26.95	94.14	"Sometimes" and "Little" (0.58)
Consumption of vegetables	Always	75.01	29.3	104.4	"Always" and "Sometimes" (0.69)	0.018
	Sometimes	78.78	29.7	108.54	"Always" and "Little" (0.03)^* * p < 0.05
	Little	66.04	25.45	91.44	"Sometimes" and "Little" (0.03)^* * p < 0.05
Consumption of meat	Always	75.79	29.35	105.12	"Always" and "Sometimes" (0.99)	0.023
	Sometimes	76.05	29.45	105.48	"Always" and "Little" (0.02)^* * p < 0.05
	Little	66.95	26.4	93.42	"Sometimes" e "Little" (0.06)

Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419 , 05403-000 São Paulo - SP/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 3061-7553, - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: reeusp@usp.br

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[1] Correspondence: Dâmarys Kohlbeck de Melo Neu Ribeiro Av. Pref. Lothario Meissner, 632, 3º andar, Jardim Botânico CEP 80210-170 - Curitiba, PR, Brazil. E-mail: damy_neu@yahoo.com.br