The aim of this study was to determine the cognition, degree of functional independence, physical health (diagnosed diseases, medications) and social functions and relationships of elderly people living in a rural area of Araraquara (Sao Paulo, Brazil). Seventy-six elderly individuals were interviewed and completed a structured questionnaire based on BOMFAQ and adapted from the OARS questionnaire. Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) was used to assess the cognitive status, and the functional condition by combining the scales of basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Considering the educational level, 17.1% of the elderly presented cognitive impairment and did not consider schooling 92.1%; 76.3% had dependence on at least one activity of daily life, 88.2% reported having a diagnosed disease, and the most frequent condition was hypertension (37.5%). It was concluded that the elderly who live in the settlement evaluated need a broader approach to social and health conditions that may contribute substantially to family education and training in elder care, periodic medical follow-up, and provision of specific care.
promotion is to give information and basic guidance to the population, extending to oral health. 3 Educational programs that use activities with theoretical content and participative dimensions, such as pedagogical games and competitions have a fundamental importance in the habit changes in oral health. 4 When used isolated, the theoretical instructions on oral hygiene are not enough to allow behavioral changes in health. 5 However, in the educational process the professional should have a cautious approach, a conviction in the significance of the health promotion messages, respecting the fact that people have their own values and priorities, avoiding imposing concepts and knowing how to access the patient expectations. 6 Once those values, beliefs and oral health habits are cultural elements and decisive in people behavior in relation to oral health, it is important to emphasize how the culture influences the patients' basic ideas regarding health to effectively treat them and improve oral health conditions, primarily connected to the values attributed to it by the population. 7 Playful activity has shown the capacity to involve the viewer in the educational process and to promote informal and humanistic communication, 8 it can promote motivation with speeches, games, theater or book reading, addressing health, positively influencing patients' lives, providing welfare, emotional feelings, nostalgia, and self-esteem. 9 The theater practice has shown an efficient strategy to help the therapeutic process of hospitalized patients, 10 as well used in health education as a bridge between popular and scientific knowledge 11. The theater has also shown its significance to improve human relationships, allowing health professionals to perceive patients in a broad way. 12 Therefore, scenic art offers the appreciation in the individual knowledge favoring a more participative attitude and a better life history, knowledge and experience 12 and there are no programs adopting theater as a tool of education on oral health for elderly, being this instrument more applied in teenagers 4 and children. 13 Due to the relevance of the educative approach in the context of health promotion, it is fundamental to know methods that are proper to elderly education, such as theater presentation. So, the aim of this study was to know the learning capacity on concepts involving health aging by a theater presentation to an independent elderly group. The null hypothesis was that theater presentations are not capable to incorporate new concepts on oral health and aging to the target population. Materials and methods Study population and ethical considerations The target population was constituted by 100 independent elderly residents in Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil, with 60 years old or more, of both genders, recruited in organized groups of elderly and in the waiting room of the clinics of Araraquara School of Dentistry-UNESP. The study was approved by the ethics and research committee of the same institution and all participants signed a free co...
The scarcity of epidemiological studies in the rural population may compromise information on oral health. For these, access to public services in general, schools, hospitals and health facilities can be difficult due to the distance of properties and precarious transport services. 7,14 These and other factors, such as the absence of water treatment systems, 6,15 sewage and garbage collection may also compromise the health of this population. A British study involving 876 elderly people over 65 years old was conducted to identify the relationship between social support, oral health status and behavior in relation to the maintenance of this. This study found a close relationship between them that influences the decision making between the demand for dental care and the type of treatment performed. 16
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