Handgrip strength: An effective screening instrument for anemia in the elderly women.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to discover associations between anemia and functional performance indicators, and to identify the best functional performance test to screen for anemia in the elderly. METHODS: A cross-sectional study analyzed data from 109 elderly residents in the community. For statistical analysis, the Logistic Regression and the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia in the elderly was 13.9%. There was an inverse association between handgrip strength (HGS) and anemia in women; the HGS test was an effective screening tool for anemia in the elderly. CONCLUSION: The HGS test can be used to screen for anemia in the elderly women.