title: The association of hemoglobin concentration with disability and decreased mobility among older Brazilians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between hemoglobin concentration and disability and mobility difficulty among older adults living in São Paulo, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based study conducted in São Paulo, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults age 60 and over (n=1,256) from the third data collection wave of the SABE Study (Health, Well-being, and Aging) conducted in 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two outcome measures were included in the analyses: 1) a difficulty to perform at least one of the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and 2) mobility difficulty, which was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Logistic regression models assessed the association between hemoglobin and each of the outcome measures. All analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic and health characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of IADL disability was 26.8% and 10.7% of participants had mobility difficulty. The mean hemoglobin concentration was significantly lower in older adults who already presented disability (13.7g/dL versus 14.4g/dL among independent elderly) or decreased mobility (13.4g/dL versus 14.3g/dL among elderly with preserved mobility). Higher values of hemoglobin concentration were associated with lower the risk of IADL disability (OR=0.88; p=0.04) and mobility difficulty (OR=0.81; p=0.02). Hemoglobin concentrations showed a dose-response effect in the probability of each outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower hemoglobin concentration was associated with a higher probability of IADL disability and mobility difficulty, showing a clear dose-response effect.
authors.affiliation: Ligiana Pires Corona, MS, Faculty of Public Health, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo Brazil, lillypires@gmail.com.
authors.forename: L Pires
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.forename: F C Drumond
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Y A de Oliveira
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lebrao
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins