Publication: Hand grip strength and associated factors in non-institutionalised men and women 50 years and older in South Africa
Issued Date
2014
Resource Type
Language
eng
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
BioMed Central
Bibliographic Citation
BMC Research Notes. Vol.7, (2014),8
Suggested Citation
Ramlagan, Shandir, Peltzer, Karl, Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya Hand grip strength and associated factors in non-institutionalised men and women 50 years and older in South Africa. BMC Research Notes. Vol.7, (2014),8. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/2849
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Authors
Journal Issue
Thesis
Title
Hand grip strength and associated factors in non-institutionalised men and women 50 years and older in South Africa
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background: Little is known about the prevalence, predictors and gender differences in hand grip strength of
older adults in Africa. This study aims to investigate social and health differences in hand grip strength among
older adults in a national probability sample of older South Africans who participated in the Study of Global Ageing
and Adults Health (SAGE wave 1) in 2008.
Methods: We conducted a national population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 3840 men and women
aged 50 years or older in South Africa. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, health variables,
and anthropometric measurements. Linear multivariate regression analysis was performed to assess the association of
social factors, health variables and grip strength.
Results: The mean overall hand grip strength was 37.9 kgs for men (mean age 61.1 years, SD = 9.1) and 31.5 kgs for
women (mean age 62.0 years, SD = 9.7). In multivariate analysis among men, greater height, not being underweight
and lower functional disability was associated with greater grip strength, and among women, greater height, better
cognitive functioning, and lower functional disability were associated with greater grip strength.
Conclusions: Greater height and lower functional disability were found for both older South African men and women
to be significantly associated with grip strength.