ARDC Research Link Australia

ORCID Profile
Orcid icon. 0000-0002-6405-3860

Current Organisations
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso , National Assembly Futures Institute

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Publications

Publication

Examining the factors associated with functional capacity of community-dwelling older adults using the ICF framework: a cross-sectional study from the Frailty in Brazilian Older Adults Study (FIBRA).

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Date: 06-06-2022

DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2022.2079574

Abstract: There are many factors associated with functioning and disability in older adults and these relationships are not clear. To explore the factors associated with functional capacity of older adults using the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). This is a cross-sectional study with a dataset from a survey of 1 377 community-dwelling older adults (≥ 65 years) in a middle-income country. Three functional outcomes were selected to represent the functioning domains: 1) muscle strength for body function 2) walking speed for activity and 3) advanced activities of daily living (ADL) for participation. Demographic, clinical, and social information was selected to represent the domains of health conditions and contextual factors (i.e. personal and environmental factors). Multivariate models tested the impact of these factors on each outcome. Depressive symptoms, age, and physical activity were associated with the three outcomes. Muscle strength was also associated with urinary incontinence, visual deficits, female sex, and employment. Walking speed was also associated with urinary incontinence, obesity, fractures due to falls, female sex, health professionals' visits, and walking aid devices. Advanced ADL were also associated with stroke, visual deficits, education, employment, health perception, social support, and walking aid devices. Functional capacity of older adults is associated with some non-modifiable factors, such as age and sex. The modifiable factors must be addressed by health professionals and policymakers in the geriatric area, especially depression, obesity, physical inactivity, and social support.

Publication

Handgrip strength cutoff points to identify mobility limitation in community-dwelling older people and associated factors

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Date: 16-09-2015

DOI: 10.1007/S12603-015-0584-Y

Abstract: Sarcopenia is defined as a progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. The specific threshold of muscle weakness that leads to mobility limitations has not been identified. To determine the best cutoff point of handgrip strength for identifying mobility limitation and to investigate the factors associated with muscle weakness and mobility limitation in community-dwelling older people. Transversal study. Cities of Belo Horizonte, Barueri and Santa Cruz in Brazil. 1374 community-dwelling older people from the Frailty study in Brazilian older people (FIBRA Study). Outcomes included muscle weakness determined according to gender-specific handgrip strength cutoff points generated by Receiver Operating Characteristic curves, mobility limitation defined as a gait speed ≤ 0.8 m/s and a combination of both muscle weakness and mobility limitation. Associated factors included socio-demographic variables, lifestyle, anthropometrics, health conditions, use of health services and disability. The cutoff points of handgrip strength with the best balancing between sensitivity and specificity for mobility limitation were 25.8 kgf for men (sensitivity 69%, specificity 73%) and 17.4 kgf (sensitivity 60%, specificity 66%) for women. Age and disability in instrumental activities of daily living were associated with all outcomes. Women had greater odds of mobility limitation than men. Physical inactivity, body fat, diabetes, depression, sleeping disturbances, number of medications and occurrence of falls remained as significant associated factors in the final model. Handgrip strength can be a useful tool to identify mobility limitation in clinical practice. Interventions to prevent or minimize impacts of sarcopenia should stimulate physical activity and improvement of body composition in addition to the management of chronic diseases and disabilities.

Publication

Early sexual initiation and multiple sexual partners among Vietnamese women: analysis from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2011

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Date: 03-2016

DOI: 10.3402/GHA.V9.29575

Abstract: Under current HIV transmission mechanisms operating in Vietnam, women are seen as victims of their male partners. Having multiple sexual partners is one of the well-known risk factors for HIV infection. However, little is known about women's risky sexual behaviour and their vulnerability to HIV in Vietnam. This study aims to explore association between early sexual initiation and the number of lifetime sexual partners in Vietnamese women. Although the Vietnamese culture is socially conservative in this area, identifying women's risky sexual behaviour is important for the protection of women at risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. A total of 8,791 women, who reported having had sexual intercourse, were included in this analysis of data from the 2011 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in Vietnam. Data were collected using two-stage strata s ling, first at the national level and second across six geographical regions (n=8,791). Multivariable logistic regressions describe association between early initiation of a sexual activity and lifetime multiple sexual partners. Early sexual intercourse was significantly associated with having lifetime multiple sexual partners. Women who were aged 19 or younger at first sexual intercourse were over five times more likely to have multiple sexual partners, compared with women whose first sexual intercourse was after marriage aged 10-14 years (OR=5.9 95% CI=1.9-18.8) at first intercourse and aged 15-19 years (OR=5.4 95% CI=4.0-7.2) at first intercourse. There was significant association with having multiple sexual partners for women of lower household wealth and urban residence, but the association with educational attainment was not strong. The study results call for health and education policies to encourage the postponement of early sexual activity in young Vietnamese women as protection against risky sexual behaviour later in life.