Prevalence and associated factors of diabetes in the elderly population in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with diabetes in the elderly population and verify the correlation between the use of medications for diabetes and information about the disease.

Methods: This epidemiological cross-sectional study was conducted in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, with 621 elderly people aged 60 years or older selected by simple random sampling. A semi-structured questionnaire was used as a research tool and included questions about socioeconomic conditions, lifestyle, health conditions, and nutritional status.

Diabetes, hypertension and mobility among Brazilian older adults: findings from the Brazilian National Household Sample Survey (1998, 2003 and 2008).

Background: The rapid population ageing has been accompanied by a growing number of older adults experiencing chronic conditions, especially diabetes and hypertension, which are conditions associated to the decline in physical functioning. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the strength of the association between mobility and two chronic conditions (hypertension and diabetes) in a large representative sample of Brazilian older adults over a ten year period.

Methods: The data came from the Brazilian National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) of 1998, 2003 and 2008.

[Nutritional status and associated factors among the elderly in Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil].

This cross-sectional study in 2009 focused on the prevalence of underweight and overweight and associated factors in a sample of 621 elderly individuals in Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Data were obtained through home interviews on nutritional status and socio-demographic and health conditions. Of the total sample, 53.

Factors associated with functional ability in Brazilian elderly.

The purpose of this observational study, designed as a cross-sectional sample of 621 elderly residents in Viçosa, Minas Gerais state, Brazil was to evaluate the prevalence of inadequate functional ability and associated factors in Brazilian elderly. Interviews were conducted at study subjects' houses using a questionnaire focused on socio demographic information and health conditions. Elderly who reported some difficulty in performing six or more activities, or total inability to carry out at least three activities identified on the scale developed by Katz et al.