Year: 2013
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective: To assess hand grip strength (HGS) and cognition in women residing in the community and in a long-term institution for the elderly, to determine if there is an association between cognition and HGS in this population and to compare the two groups. Materials and Methods: From a convenience sample, took part in this study 22 women from an institution in Porto Alegre/RS (IG) and 27 residents in the community (CG), members of an elderly group from Gravataí/RS. Their cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination - MMSE) and HGS (Jamar ® dynamometer) were assessed. The following data were also collected: sociodemographic, health, body mass index (BMI), hand dominance, physical presentation and physical activity. Results: The mean ages were 78.6+/-7.5 years for the IG and 74.7+/-6.9 for the CG. The women were right-handed (100%), caucasian (83.7%), with 1-8 years of education (91.8%), ambulating without assistance (82%), physically inactive (67. 3%), with BMI equally divided between normal (40.8%) and overweight (40.8%). IG and CG did not differ in terms of HGS, but the community elderly had MMSE scores significantly higher. Age showed a negative, moderate and significant relationship (r =-0.52, p=0.01) with the MMSE score and a negative, weak but significant relationship with HGS (r =-0.28, p=0.05). No relation was detected between the HGS and BMI. Conclusion: Institutionalized women had lower cognitive level than their community counterparts, but did not differ in terms of strength. HGS and cognition decline with increasing age.
Source: Ciência & Saúde
Language: Portuguese
Subfield: Physiology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W1536047589