Physical Functioning Among Community-Dwelling Elderly in Rural Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: As people live longer and the number of elderly individuals increases, caring for the elderly and increasing quality of life become important health care concerns.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess physical functioning among elderly people in rural Indonesia and draw conclusions about factors that might impact physical functioning.

METHODS: This study involved 412 elderly individuals aged 60 and over selected by multistage random sampling. A logistic regression was used to determine factors which associated with physical functioning.

RESULTS: Older age (75+), suffered from chronic illness, and living in low- and middle- income households tend to have limitations on physical function. Also, elderly individuals who had partner and were currently working experienced better physical function than those who did not.

CONCLUSION: This study supports other findings that say elderly people should do activities that reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses. Having regular physical activity and routine preventive health check-ups can improve overall health, protect from having diseases and maintain the physical function of the elderly.