COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF HANDGRIP STRENGTH AND MOBILITY ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY

Abstract

The objective of this study was to carry out a comparative analysis between handgrip strength and mobility in the quality of life (QOL) of older adults living in long-term care facilities. Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, comprised of a sample population of 127 older adults. Measurements included the World Health Organization Quality of Life-OLD (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire, assessment of the handgrip strength by hand dynamometer and mobility by Timed Up and Go (TUG). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare the mean values of the WHOQOL-BREF, global and domains, in each stratum of the handgrip strength and mobility values. Our results showed that handgrip dynamometer strength was associated with higher perception of the global WHOQOL-BREF score and two WHOQOL-BREF domains environment (p<0.028) and physical health (p<0.002), that is, the highest QOL values were seen in those older adults with greater handgrip strength. However, no significant association between TUG score and any quality of life domains was found. It can be inferred that handgrip strength seems to influence the quality of life of institutionalized older adults and healthcare providers in LTCs should account for when designing interventions.