Elderly persons who live alone in Brazil and their lifestyle

Abstract

Objective: to assess the prevalence of elderly persons living alone in Brazil, based on covariates of health status, behavior and socio-demographic characteristics. Method: data from 11,967 individuals (aged 60 or over) were obtained from the National Health Survey (Brazil, 2013). Living alone was defined as residing in a one-person household. The prevalence of individuals living alone was stratified by socio-demographic conditions and geographic region. Living alone was also assessed as a factor for outcomes of physical functioning, behavior and health conditions. Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the prevalence ratios and a 95% confidence interval was applied. Results: in Brazil, 15.3% of people aged 60 years and over live alone. This condition is more prevalent in higher income regions; however, more lower-income individuals were affected. Prevalence was higher among women and individuals aged 75 years or more. Living alone was associated with difficulties in instrumental activities of daily living (prevalence ratio 1.15; 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.28); the reporting of an illness in the two prior to the study (PR=1.35; 95%CI=1.16-1.57); watching television (five or more hours daily) (PR=1.40; 95%CI=1.26-1.56) and falls in the previous year (PR=1.35; 95%CI=1.10-1.66). Elderly persons living alone also had worse eating habits, with a less frequent intake of meat, beans and salads than their counterparts who lived with others. Conclusion: elderly persons living alone in Brazil have a worse health status and health-related habits. These findings represent a challenge and should motivate social and health policies aimed at fulfilling the greater needs of adults who grow old alone.

Elderly individuals living by themselves: knowledge and measures to prevent the novel coronavirus

“…Coupled with these, there has been an increase in the number of elderly individuals living by themselves ( 11 ) . In Brazil, 15.7% of individuals aged 60 years old or older live alone ( 12 ) ; with the South (15.9%) and Southeast (15.7%) presenting the highest percentages ( 11 ) .…”

“…Coupled with these, there has been an increase in the number of elderly individuals living by themselves ( 11 ) . In Brazil, 15.7% of individuals aged 60 years old or older live alone ( 12 ) ; with the South (15.9%) and Southeast (15.7%) presenting the highest percentages ( 11 ) . Single-person households may be seen as an accomplishment considering that older people can enjoy greater privacy and independence as they age ( 11 ) , however, elderly individuals living by themselves may become more vulnerable and deprived of social support when facing health problems ( 11 , 13 ) .…”

“…In Brazil, 15.7% of individuals aged 60 years old or older live alone ( 12 ) ; with the South (15.9%) and Southeast (15.7%) presenting the highest percentages ( 11 ) . Single-person households may be seen as an accomplishment considering that older people can enjoy greater privacy and independence as they age ( 11 ) , however, elderly individuals living by themselves may become more vulnerable and deprived of social support when facing health problems ( 11 , 13 ) . Additionally, access to information depends on the context in which individuals live ( 7 - 8 ) and knowledge regarding preventive measures is one of the crucial factors to prevent the contagion and spread of the novel coronavirus ( 1 ) .…”

Care needs of the elderly who live alone: an intersectoral perception

“…Há, também, a compreensão de que a falta de um parceiro para apoiar as atividades diárias torna a vida do idoso menos saudável, portanto, é preciso grande esforço para capacitar aqueles que moram sozinhos para o desenvolvimento das atividades instrumentais de vida diária (15) . Para tanto, os serviços de saúde precisam desempenhar papel ativo na promoção da autonomia e manutenção da independência dessas pessoas (6) .…”

“…No Brasil, a Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílio demonstrou que 15,3% das pessoas com 60 anos ou mais vivem sozinhas, com maior prevalência de mulheres com 75 anos de idade ou mais e, embora atingindo maior proporção nas regiões de alta renda, esta condição afeta mais intensamente a vida dos idosos de baixa. A mesma pesquisa mostrou que esses idosos apresentam pior estado de saúde e de hábitos relacionados aos cuidados com a saúde (6) .…”