Objective: The present study aims to evaluate the prevalence of and factors associated with the use of tobacco and alcohol among elderly people living in the northern part of the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Method: A cross-sectional study conducted through a home survey was performed with a sample of 423 elderly citizens. Interviews were conducted through a questionnaire including the Fagerström and Audit-C tests. The data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis and multinomial regression. Results: The prevalence of elderly smokers was 9.0%, 32.0% were former smokers, 26.7% of the sample consumed alcoholic beverages and 3.2% used alcohol and smoked. In the multinomial logistic regression model, the factors that were significantly associated with smoking were the male gender, an age of 60 to 70 years old; the presence of self-reported health problems; while the consumption of alcohol was associated with the male gender and frailty. Conclusion: There was a low prevalence of elderly people living in the community who consumed alcoholic beverages and/or were smokers. Such individuals, however, almost exclusively suffered from impaired health and potentially a poor quality of life. Regarding the profile of such elderly persons, there were similarities between the socio-demographic and health variables, suggesting the possibility of a more targeted approach to these individuals.

A incapacidade funcional (IF) surge como um importante paradigma para a assistência à saúde do idoso. O objetivo desse estudo foi verificar a prevalência de IF em idosos e analisar os fatores sociodemográficos associados. A prevalência de IF foi de 2,5% para as ABVD e de 7,1% para as AIVD, e observou-se associação entre idade superior a 80 anos e IF para AIVD (p<0,001). Os resultados encontrados reforçam a necessidade de ações, principalmente de prevenção, com o intuito de garantir independência e funcionalidade ao idoso.Palavras-chave: Saúde do Idoso; Incapacidade Funcional; Inquéritos Epidemiológicos.