Factors determining the negative perception of the health of Brazilian elderly people

Abstract

Objective: To identify factors that determine the negative perception of the health of the Brazilian elderly, considering sociodemographic conditions, functional limitations and illness, patterns of utilization of health services and oral health condition. Method: A cross-sectional study with data from the National Health Survey (2013), involving 23,815 elderly persons was carried out. Once the database was treated, dimensionality reduction was performed using the Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis. The variables related to health perception were evaluated through logistic regression to measure the magnitude of the associations. Health perception and 36 independent variables were considered as outcome variables. Results: The variables most strongly related to the negative perception of the health of the elderly were illiteracy (OR=1.48), low educational level, total difficulty in performing instrumental activities of daily living (OR=2.04), impossibility of performing any activity (OR=3.20), presence of a diagnosis of physical or mental illness (OR=2.44), negative self-perception of oral health (OR=1.92), an increased need for health services in recent weeks (OR=1.16), medical visits and hospitalization in the last 12 months (OR=1.40). Conclusion: The use of multidimensional methodologies can identify the influence of determinants of a negative perception of health among Brazilian elderly persons, and can support the formulation of public health policies aimed at the elderly population.

Factors associated with the frequency of medical consultations by older adults: a national study

“…Some events directly interfere with health perception, such as the presence of chronic diseases and functional disability, being closely linked to the risk of complications and the continuous use of medicines, in turn increasing the demand and use of health services and medical consultations, respectively (22) . This aspect deserves special attention, since a poor perception of health is directly related to the increase in the number of hospitalizations, functional decline and dependence among older adults (23)(24) . Identifying the health perception of older adults enables planning and executing actions focused on the uniqueness of the individuals and their real demands, motivating their care and adherence, thereby supporting better health conditions, maintenance of functional capacities and quality of life (24) .…”

“…This aspect deserves special attention, since a poor perception of health is directly related to the increase in the number of hospitalizations, functional decline and dependence among older adults (23)(24) . Identifying the health perception of older adults enables planning and executing actions focused on the uniqueness of the individuals and their real demands, motivating their care and adherence, thereby supporting better health conditions, maintenance of functional capacities and quality of life (24) .…”

Acesso à Atenção Primária à Saúde de longevos: perspectiva de profissionais da Saúde da Família de um município do Rio Grande do Sul

“…Há poucos estudos que exploram o acesso dos longevos aos serviços de saúde e que, em muitos casos, esse acesso é desigual 19 . Maior renda e escolaridade estiveram associadas à utilização e acesso a consultas 20 .…”

“…Investir em acesso aos serviços de APS fora de horário ou eliminar fatores que impedem as pessoas de usá-los, como, por exemplo, problemas financeiros ou deslocamento, podem ser benéficos e reduzir as idas aos serviços emergenciais 20 . As barreiras no acesso temporal podem gerar uma baixa resolutividade e até colapso em outros pontos de atenção da rede de saúde 25 .…”

Percepção De Idosos Com Doenças Crônicas Sobre a Perda Da Funcionalidade E Da Autonomia

“…Os resultados evidenciam, também, que as pessoas impedidas de realizar, por algum motivo de saúde, quaisquer das atividades habituais, tendem a eleger a saúde como ruim, quando em comparação com os que não tiveram tal impasse (Zanesco, Bordin, Santos, Müller, & Fadel, 2018).…”