RT Journal Article
T1 A protective personal factor against disability and dependence in the elderly: an ordinal regression analysis with nine geographically-defined samples from Spain
A1 Virués Ortega, Javier
A1 Vega, Saturio
A1 Seijo Martínez, Manuel
A1 Saz, Pedro
A1 Rodríguez, Fernanda
A1 Rodríguez Laso, Ángel
A1 Pérez de las Heras, Susana
A1 Mateos Álvarez, Raimundo
A1 Martínez Martín, Pablo
A1 Mahillo Fernández, Ignacio
A1 Garre Olmo, Josep
A1 Gascón, Jordi
A1 García García, Francisco José
A1 Fernández Martínez, Manuel
A1 Bermejo Pareja, Félix
A1 Bergareche, Alberto
A1 Benito León, Julián
A1 Pedro Cuesta, Jesús de
A1 Spanish Epidemiological Studies on Ageing Group, 
K1 Sense of coherence
K1 Disability
K1 Dependence
K1 Katz index
K1 WHODAS 2.0
AB BackgroundSense of Coherence (SOC) is defined as a tendency to perceive life experiences as comprehensible, manageable and meaningful. The construct is split in three major domains: Comprehensibility, Manageability, and Meaningfulness. SOC has been associated with successful coping strategies in the face of illness and traumatic events and is a predictor of self-reported and objective health in a variety of contexts. In the present study we aim to evaluate the association of SOC with disability and dependence in Spanish elders.MethodsA total of 377 participants aged 75 years or over from nine locations across Spain participated in the study (Mean age: 80.9 years; 65.3% women). SOC levels were considered independent variables in two ordinal logistic models on disability and dependence, respectively. Disability was established with the World health Organization-Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (36-item version), while dependence was measured with the Extended Katz Index on personal and instrumental activities of daily living. The models included personal (sex, age, social contacts, availability of an intimate confidant), environmental (municipality size, access to social resources) and health-related covariates (morbidity).ResultsHigh Meaningfulness was a strong protective factor against both disability (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.50; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.29–0.87) and dependence (OR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.19–0.58) while moderate and high Comprehensibility was protective for disability (OR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.22–0.70 and OR = 0.39; 95%CI = 0.21–0.74), but not for dependence. Easy access to social and health resources was also highly protective against both disability and dependence.ConclusionsOur results are consistent with the view that high levels of SOC are protective against disability and dependence in the elderly. Elderly individuals with limited access to social and health resources and with low SOC may be a group at risk for dependence and disability in Spain.
PB BMC
SN 1471-2318
YR 2017
FD 2017
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/22925
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/22925
LA eng
NO Virues-Ortega, J., Vega, S., Seijo-Martinez, M. et al. A protective personal factor against disability and dependence in the elderly: an ordinal regression analysis with nine geographically-defined samples from Spain. BMC Geriatr 17, 42 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-016-0409-9
NO This project was partially funded by a research contract in support of the project “Epidemiological Study of Dementia in Spain” signed by the Pfizer Foundation and Carlos III Institute of Health
DS Minerva
RD 24 abr 2026