Association between functional vulnerability and mental health indicators: a cross-sectional analysis of older adults not engaged in physical exercise programs

The present study aimed to examine the association between clinical-functional vulnerability and symptoms of depression and anxiety in older adults. This is a cross-sectional study linked to a randomized clinical trial (Clinical Trials: NCT06380413). The study included 47 older adults not engaged in physical exercise programs (age: 66.0 ± 5.0 years). Functional vulnerability was assessed using the Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index (IVCF-20), which evaluates multidimensional aspects of older adults' health. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Sociodemographic and anthropometric variables were described using the mean and standard deviation, while clinical variables were presented using the median and interquartile range. A median of 2 (0–5) was observed for functional vulnerability, 4 (3–8) for symptoms of depression, and 6 (2–9) for symptoms of anxiety. Spearman correlation analysis showed a significant positive association between functional vulnerability and depressive (rs=0.303; p=0.038) and anxiety (rs=0.400; p=0.006) symptoms. It is concluded that higher levels of functional vulnerability are associated with greater symptoms of depression and anxiety, reinforcing the importance of early identification of these factors in the older population.