title: Functional decline over 2 years in older Spanish adults: evidence from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the social, educational, health and behavioral predictors of physical functional decline in older Spanish adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 2-year longitudinal study based on 699 community-dwelling Spanish adults aged over 65 years participating in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe was carried out. Several predictors of a combined measure of functional disability were examined using logistic regressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A decline in function was experienced by 166 individuals. Functional decline in men was associated with an increased number of chronic diseases (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.21-4.19) and depressive symptoms (OR 5.05, 95% CI 2.42-10.54) over a 2-year period, whereas among women it was associated with decreased numeracy score (OR 1.88, 95%CI 1.05-3.34).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Longitudinal changes in predictors are strongly associated with longitudinal changes in function between baseline and a 2-year follow up, most clearly among men. A decrease in cognitive functioning and increased depressive symptoms are associated with a decline in physical functioning, and can serve as useful clinical predictors to prevent disability in older Spanish adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodríguez López
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montero
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carmenate
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avendano
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012179:Retirement; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: 2-year follow up; Ageing and Retirement in Europe; Spanish adults; Survey of Health; disability; functional decline