Functional capacity and life expectancy in elderly quilombolas

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between functional capacity and life expectancy of quilombola elders. METHOD A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study involving fifty-nine older adults from the quilombola community of Curiau, Macapa-Amapa. A sociodemographic form was used to characterize the sample, and Lawton's and Herth's Hope Scales were used to measuring functional capacity and life expectancy, respectively. In the relationship study, the Spearman correlation test was applied. RESULTS Elderly males aged 60-69 years (52.5%) and married (35.6%) prevailed. Functional capacity had a mean score of 22.4 (± 4.6) and a life expectancy of 41.5 (± 5.1), the correlation between the scale scores was positive and significant (R = 0.475; p <0.001). CONCLUSION From the results concluded, when related levels of independence and life expectancy among themselves were significantly associated with being functionally independent elderly and having a better life expectancy.