The Research On The Activities Of Daily Living And Its Associated Factors Among Elderly In One Rural Area Of Anhui Province

Objectives To explore the status and the associated factors of the Activities of Daily Living(ADL) among the elderly in one rural area of Anhui China, and providing evidence for improving the level of health of the elderly.Methods The residents aged 60 years or more and lived 1 year or more in rural areas were selected as participants, with cluster sampling from one town in Dangtu county in Anhui province. Respondents were interviewed by questionnaires, including the general demographic characteristics questionnaire, Social Support Rating Scale(SSRS), Activities of Daily Living(ADL), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS) and Geriatric Depression Scale-15(GDS-15). The statistical software SPSS(version 16.0) was used for data analysis.Results The total number of subjects was 3182( 1320 for male and 1862 for female). The mean age of the elderly was 70.70±6.97 years. 1. Status of the Activities of Daily Living: The prevalence rate of disability for ADL in the elderly was 61.1%, including functional decline 41.8%(1331/3182) and dysfunction 19.3%(613/3182). The were 60.6% people with disability for Instrumental Activity of Daily Living(IADL), “phone” fall most obviously; 14.0% people with disability for Physical Self-Maintenance(PSMS), “walking” fall most obviously. 2. Univariate analysis of ADL of the rural elderly: The total ADL were significant in sex, age, education, marital status, living arrangements, self-rated economic status, self-rated labor intensity, suffering from chronic disease, smoking, drinking, anxiety, depression, total social support and three subscales(P<0.05). The prevalence rate of disability for ADL was higher in the group of female, advanced age, illiteracy, widow, living alone, self-rated low economic status, low self-rated labor intensity, suffering more chronic diseases, non-smoking, non-drinking, anxiety, depression, the score of total social support and three subscales were higher in normal group; PSMS were significant in age, marital status, living arrangements, self-rated economic status, self-rated labor intensity, suffering from chronic disease, smoking, drinking, anxiety, depression, total social support, objective support, subjective support(P<0.05). The prevalence rate of disability for PSMS was higher in the group of advanced age, widow, living alone, self-rated low economic status, self-rated low labor intensity, suffering more chronic diseases, non-smoking, non-drinking, anxiety, depression, the score of total social support, objective support and subjective support were higher in normal group; IADL were significant in sex, age, education, marital status, living arrangements, self-rated economic status, self-rated labor intensity, suffering from chronic disease, smoking, drinking, anxiety, depression, total social support and three subscales(P<0.05). The prevalence rate of disability for IADL was higher in the group of female, advanced age, illiteracy, widow, living alone, self-rated low economic status, self-rated low labor intensity, suffering more chronic diseases, non-smoking, non-drinking, anxiety, depression, the score of total social support and three subscales were higher in normal group. 3. Binary logistic regression analysis of Activities of Daily Living of the rural elderly: Female, advanced age, self-rated medium and low economic status, suffering more chronic diseases, depression may be risk factors for ADL, literacy, drinking, high level of subjective support and utilization of support may be protective factors for ADL; Advanced age, self-rated medium or low economic status, suffering from chronic diseases, anxiety, depression may be risk factors for PSMS, medium and low self-rated labor intensity may be protective factors for PSMS; Female, advanced age, self-rated medium and low economic status, suffering more chronic diseases, depression may be risk factors for IADL, literacy, drinking, high level of subjective support and utilization of support may be protective factors for IADL.Conclusions Overall, The reduced ADL among rural elderly in one town of Dangtu county in Maanshan was prevalent, and sex, age, economic status, suffering from chronic disease, drinking and depression etc. were associated with ADL. Early and effective measures aiming to these identified risk and protective factors may provide scientific evidence for promoting the health of elderly and the level of ADL.