Dimensions of religiosity, sociodemographic indicators, and self-rated health in Brazilian adults and older adults Larissa Centofanti Lemos, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Anita Liberalesso Neri Journal of Religion Spirituality and Aging, 2026 ABSTRACTPrevalence of the importance attributed to four dimensions of religiosity and its associations according to religious affiliation, religious attendance, sociodemographic, and health indicators, was investigated in a representative Brazilian population aged ≥50 years (N = 7,369). Results showed greater prevalence of non-Catholics and regular attendees of religious services attributing greater importance to all four dimensions of religiosity, while men conferred little importance to all of them. Greater importance was attributed to virtues and moral values by individuals with ≥1 year of education; to social belonging by non-Catholics and Pardos; and to existential meaning by Protestants and individuals with 1–8 years of education.KEYWORDS: Agingcoping strategieshealth of the elderlyreligionvirtues AcknowledgmentsThe authors would like to thank Prof. Dr. Maria Fernanda Lima-Costa, coordinator of ELSI-Brazil, for her encouragement of this work.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Authors’ contributionsLCL, FSAB, and ALN contributed to the study conception and design. FSAB performed the statistical analysis. The first draft of the manuscript was written by LCL and critically reviewed by FSAB and ALN. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.Data availability statementAll questionnaires and the database that support the findings of this study are openly available at https://elsi.cpqrr.fiocruz.br.Ethics approvalApproval was obtained from the ethics committee of Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (CAAE number: 34649814.3.0000.5091). The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.Additional informationFundingThis study received funding from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES – Finance Code 0001 – Process nº 88882.435440/2019-01.
Does Frailty Predict Cognitive and Functional Deficits After Nine Years? Beatriz Raz Franco de Santana, Daniela de Assumpção, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Ivan Aprahamian, Ligiana Pires Corona, Samila Sathler Tavares Batistoni, Deusivania Vieira da Silva Falcão, Meire Cachioni, Ruth Caldeira de Melo, Anita Liberalesso Neri, Monica Sanches Yassuda International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2025 ObjectivesTo identify the variables at baseline, including physical frailty, that might predict cognitive and functional deficits in a 9‐year follow‐up.MethodsThis investigation included participants from the FIBRA study in Campinas city and Ermelino Matarazzo, subdistrict of São Paulo city, with complete data collected at baseline and follow‐up for the variables sex, age, education, frailty phenotype, number of chronic diseases, and tobacco and alcohol use. Of the initial 1284 participants at baseline, 98 that exhibited cognitive impairment were excluded. At follow‐up, 451 participants were located and reinterviewed and 85 scored below the cut‐off on the Mini‐Mental State Exam (MMSE), of which 45 also presented functional deficit.ResultsThe follow‐up subsample comprised predominantly participants that were female (68.1%), aged 65–74 years (71.6%), and had low education (0–4 years of education, 75.6%). At baseline, 35.5% were non‐frail, 57.0% pre‐frail and 7.5% frail, whereas at follow‐up, 29.4% were non‐frail, 62.3% pre‐frail and 8.3% frail. Logistic regression showed that age and education but not frailty at baseline were associated with cognitive and functional deficits at follow‐up.ConclusionsHigher age and lower education at baseline were predictors of cognitive and functional deficits after 9 years, whereas frailty was not. Further longitudinal studies should be conducted to elucidate the factors predicting cognitive and functional decline in low‐and middle‐income countries.
Combined experiences of loneliness and social isolation and their associations with sociodemographic, health, and psychosocial variables: ELSI-Brazil Paulo Afonso Sandy, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Daniela de Assumpção, Anita Liberalesso Neri Aging and Mental Health, 2025 OBJECTIVES: To identify combinations of loneliness and social isolation and their associations with demographic, health, and psychosocial variables in a nationally representative sample of Brazilians aged 50 and older. METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 6139 participants from the baseline (2015-2016) of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging. Clusters were identified using an exploratory non-hierarchical analysis (k-means), and the odds ratios of the occurrence of variables were estimated by multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: 36% were classified as lonely/not isolated, 19.4% as lonely/isolated, and 44.5% as not lonely/not isolated. The odds of belonging to the 'lonely/not isolated' cluster were lower for males and higher for those with more depressive symptoms, lower life satisfaction and quality of life scores, and poor mobility. The odds of being in the 'lonely/isolated' cluster were higher for individuals with more depressive symptoms, aged 80 years or older, and with lower levels of social participation, education, expectations of care, life satisfaction, and perceived quality of life. CONCLUSION: Measures aimed at reducing social isolation and loneliness should be tailored to the characteristics of each cluster. The 'lonely/isolated' cluster would benefit from measures that reduce socioeconomic disadvantages throughout life and create opportunities for quality social interaction in old age.
Association Between Metabolic Disorders and Cognitive Domains in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Lys Gil Rodrigues Pedroso Anibal, Carolina Neves Freiria, Graziele Maria da Silva, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Tábatta Renata Pereira de Brito, Andréia de Oliveira Pain, Ivan Aprahamian, Marciane Milanski Ferreira, Ligiana Pires Corona Experimental Aging Research, 2025 OBJECTIVES: evaluate the association between Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and cognitive performance (global and in each domain) in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: cross-sectional study with 544 participants (≥60 years). Cognition was assessed using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument - Short (CASI-S), evaluating four domains: memory, orientation, executive function, recall. MetS was identified considering five components: abdominal obesity, diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL, and hypertension. Mann-Whitney test and Poisson regression models adjusted for age and education were used to assess the differences in cognition scores. RESULTS: = .048, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Global cognition was not associated to metabolic disorders, but obesity was associated to lower executive function and higher recall. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Assessing each cognitive domain may be more sensitive in subjects with MetS components, and interaction between components, sex and education also must be considered to establish adequate care strategies for the older adults.
Frailty and functional status among older adults with cognitive impairment: data from the second wave of the FIBRA study Beatriz Raz Franco de Santana, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Daniela de Assumpção, Anita Liberalesso Neri, Mônica Sanches Yassuda Dementia E Neuropsychologia, 2024 Frailty is defined as a recognizable state of increased vulnerability resulting from age-associated decline of function in various physiological systems, such that the ability to deal with acute or everyday stressors is compromised. Objective: The aim of the study was to characterize the sample of older adults with cognitive impairment, according to the frailty status indirectly assessed by family members, other clinical and sociodemographic variables; and to assess the overlap of clinical conditions evaluated in this sample with cognitive impairment. Methods: Data were extracted from the follow-up database of the Frailty in Brazilian Older Adults (FIBRA) study (2016-2017). The sample consisted of 130 elderly people with cognitive impairment assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). The scores for the Clinical Dementia Scale (CDR), Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia and Functional Activities Questionnaire were described. Frailty was indirectly measured through questions answered by family members about the five criteria that compose the frailty phenotype. Results: The sample consisted mostly of older women (n=91) with a mean age of 82.4 (SD=5.3) years, mean schooling of 3.3 years (SD=3.07), widowed (47.7%) and who lived with children and/or grandchildren (68%). More than half had multimorbidity (74.90%), 39.5% had depression symptoms suggestive of major depression, 57% had impaired functionality, 49.3% were frail, 37.6% pre-frail, and 13.10% robust. Conclusion: Among older adults with cognitive impairment, frailty and functional limitations are common.
Low grip strength and gait speed as markers of dependence regarding basic activities of daily living: the FIBRA study Juliana Carvalho Segato Marincolo, Daniela de Assumpção, Mariana Reis Santimaria, Ivan Aprahamian, Mônica Sanches Yassuda, Anita Liberalesso Neri, Ligiana Pires Corona, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim Einstein Sao Paulo Brazil, 2024 OBJECTIVE: Marincolo et al. showed that older adults without limitations in basic activities of daily living at baseline presented with an 11.7% concomitant presence of functional dependence, slow gait speed, and low muscle strength at follow-up. Slow gait speed remains a predictor of dependence in basic activities of daily living. To determine whether low muscle strength and low gait speed increase the risk of disability related to basic activities of daily living in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A longitudinal study (9 years of follow-up) was conducted with 390 older adults who were independent in basic activities of daily living at baseline and answered the Katz Index at follow-up. Associations were determined using Pearson's χ2 test with a 5% significance level and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Increases in prevalence between baseline and follow-up were observed for low muscle strength (17.5%-38.2%), slow gait speed (26.0%-81.1%), and functional dependence (10.8%-26.6%). At follow-up, 11.7% of the participants had concomitant functional dependence, slow gait speed, and low muscle strength. Slow gait speed remained a predictor of dependence in basic activities of daily living (odds ratio=1.90; 95% confidence interval=1.06-3.41). CONCLUSION: Slow gait speed is a predictor of functional dependence, constituting an important variable for screening functional decline.
Association of Food Consumption According to the Degree of Processing and Sociodemographic Conditions in Older Adults Graziele Maria da Silva, Daniela de Assumpção, Carolina Neves Freiria, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Tábatta Renata Pereira de Brito, Ligiana Pires Corona Foods, 2023 Several factors can impact food consumption in older adults, including those of sociodemographic, physiological, and chronic non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the association of food consumption according to its degree of processing with sociodemographic conditions in community-dwelling older adults. Food intake was evaluated from 24-h recall data. All food items were classified according to the degree of processing into four groups as follows: in natura or minimally processed, culinary ingredients, processed, and ultra-processed foods. Food groups were considered dependent variables in a quantile regression model, adjusting for sex, age, schooling, ethnicity, and number of residents. Women and individuals with higher levels of education had lower consumption of in natura or minimally processed foods and higher consumption of ultra-processed foods. The yellow or indigenous ethnicity presented the lowest consumption of processed foods; older people who lived with three or more individuals had the highest consumption of culinary ingredients, whereas the older people who lived with one to two people had the highest consumption of processed foods and the lowest consumption of ultra-processed. These groups may be the target of educational and public policies to improve diet quality and contribute to quality of life in older ages.
Cognitive Impairment Predicts Sarcopenia 9 Years Later among Older Adults Gabriela Cabett Cipolli, Daniela de Assumpção, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Ivan Aprahamian, Deusivania Vieira da Silva Falcão, Meire Cachioni, Samila Sathler Tavares Batistoni, Ruth Caldeira de Melo, Ligiana Pires Corona, Anita Liberalesso Neri, Qian-Li Xue, Mônica Sanches Yassuda Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2023
Probable sarcopenia is associated with cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults: Results from the FIBRA study Gabriela Cabett Cipolli, Ivan Aprahamian, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Deusivania Vieira Silva Falcão, Meire Cachioni, Ruth Calderia de Melo, Samila Sathler Tavares Batistoni, Anita Liberaleso Neri, Mônica Sanches Yassuda Arquivos De Neuro Psiquiatria, 2023 Background: The link between sarcopenia and cognitive impairment has not yet been thoroughly evaluated, especially among older adults. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between probable sarcopenia and cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults in two Brazilian cities. Methods: Probable sarcopenia was assessed using the EWGSOP2 (2018) criteria. Thus, participants were classified as probably having sarcopenia if they had SARC-F (Strength, Assistance in walking, Rise from a chair, Climb stairs and Falls) ≥4 points and low grip strength. Cognitive function was evaluated through the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), verbal fluency (VF) and clock drawing test (CDT). Results: In a sample of 529 older adults (mean age 80.8±4.9 years; mean education 4.2±3.67 years; 70.1% women), 27.3% of the participants had SARC-F≥4, 38.3% had low grip strength and 13.6% were classified as probable sarcopenia cases. After adjusting for possible confounders (age, sex, education, depression, diabetes, hypertension, leisure-time physical activity and obesity), probable sarcopenia was found to be associated with impairment in the MMSE (OR 2.52; 95%CI 1.42‒4.47; p=0.002) and in VF (OR 2.17; 95%CI 1.17‒4.01; p=0.014). Low grip strength was found to be associated with impairment in the MMSE (OR 1.83; 95%CI 1.18‒2.82; p=0.006) and in the CDT (OR 1.79; 95%CI 1.18‒2.73; p=0.006). SARC-F scores were found to be associated with impairment in the MMSE (OR 1.90; 95%CI 1.18‒3.06; p=0.008). Conclusion: The results suggested that probable sarcopenia and its components present a significant association with cognitive deficits among community-dwelling older adults. Future longitudinal studies will further explore the causal relationship.
Multimorbidity and use of health services in the oldest old in Brazil Priscila Maria Stolses Bergamo Francisco, Daniela de Assumpção, Aldiane Gomes de Macedo Bacurau, Diego Salvador Muniz da Silva, Deborah Carvalho Malta, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim Revista Brasileira De Epidemiologia, 2021
Factors associated with perceived quality of life in older adults: ELSI-Brazil Anita Liberalesso Neri, Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Arlete Portella Fontes, Dóris Firmino Rabello, Meire Cachioni, Samila Sathler Tavares Batistoni, Mônica Sanches Yassuda, Paulo Roberto Borges de Souza-Júnior, Fabiola Bof de Andrade, Maria Fernanda Lima-Costa Revista De Saude Publica, 2018
Dimensions of self-rated health in older adults Flávia Silva Arbex Borim, Anita Liberalesso Neri, Priscila Maria Stolses Bergamo Francisco, Marilisa Berti de Azevedo Barros Revista De Saude Publica, 2014