Assessment of Functional Capacity and Its Sociodemographic and Health Determinants in Older Adults from a Region of Peru

Background: Functional capacity is a key component of healthy aging, as it reflects the degree of autonomy of older adults in their daily activities. In regions of Peru such as Lambayeque, information on factors associated with functionality in this population is still limited, which makes it difficult to plan preventive and social support interventions. Objective: Assess functional capacity and its sociodemographic and health determinants in older adults in the Lambayeque region, Peru. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 with a sample of 657 adults aged 60 years and older selected through stratified sampling. Functional capacity was evaluated using the Katz Index and the Lawton and Brody Scale for basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL and IADL). Descriptive statistics, bivariate tests, and binary logistic regression were applied. Results: Among participants, 58.9% were women, and more than half presented some degree of functional dependence. Logistic regression showed that being male was associated with lower odds of functional dependence (OR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.17– 0.63; p = 0.001). In contrast, age ≥ 75 years (OR = 2.71; 95% CI: 1.56– 4.71; p = 0.001), unemployment (OR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.12– 5.56; p = 0.041), and multimorbidity (two or more chronic conditions; OR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.07– 3.34; p = 0.028) were significantly associated with higher odds of functional dependence. Conclusion: Older adults who are unemployed, have multiple chronic diseases, or are of advanced age are more vulnerable to functional dependence. These findings underscore the importance of early detection, functional health monitoring, and programs promoting independence and active aging in older populations in Peru. Keywords: functional status, healthy aging, activities of daily living, chronic disease, elder care