[Family configuration and physical and psychological health status in a sample of elderly]

This study focused on the relations between family configuration (living arrangements, heads of family, and financial contributions to the family's support), age, gender, and physical health (functional capacity, number of diseases and signs and symptoms, and social involvement) and psychological health (depression and anxiety) among the elderly, based on self-reported data. The probabilistic sample included 134 elderly without cognitive deficit, with data collected in home interviews. Cluster analyses were performed using the partitioning method (three groupings). The variables that contributed the most to forming groups were basic activities of daily living (R(2) = 0.732) and instrumental activities of daily living (R(2) = 0.487), number of diseases (R(2) = 0.241), and age (R(2) = 0.225). The predominant family configuration was living with children and/or grandchildren, with the elderly as providers and heads of the family. The study showed associations between family configuration and physical and psychological health status. Women showed a higher financial burden and worse psychological health than men.