Perfil de pacientes idosos e tempo de permanência em ambulatório geronto-geriátrico

Abstract

Objective: To identify the profile of aged outpatients attended at the Núcleo de Atenção ao Idoso and the variables that interfere on duration of stay in the service. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional research was carried through, based on the analysis of 1,194 medical reports of aged outpatients attended from 2000 up to 2004. The variables were: sociodemographic data, clinical registers in medical evaluation and duration of stay of the aged outpatients at the clinic. A logistic regression was performed to analyze the relation between clinical variables and time of stay. Results: Women (76.5%) were more numerous than men (23.5%), in all age intervals. According to scholarship, 12.9% were illiterate and the most prevalent category (37.1%) had incomplete first degree. The number of aged widower women (38%) was three times those of widower men (12%). The majority of aged (94.4%) had a company of housing and 84.4% did not have health plan. The mean duration of stay in the service was 2 years and 8 months, with standard deviation of 1.5 years. The variables with major influence on duration of stay were: age, dizziness complaints, refractive, hearing and urinary disturbances, cataract, and bone fractures. Conclusions: According to the logistic regression, surgical history, hearing and urinary disturbances, as well as bone fractures contributed to increase duration of stay, but dizziness complaints, refractive disturbances and cataract reduced the stay of the elderly in the service.

Socioeconomic and health characteristics of older adults cared for by a multiprofessional family health team

“…The predominance of females in these studies supports the existence of the phenomenon of feminization of old age, as women are more concerned about health, can better explain their symptoms and seek health care more frequently than men. These results reaffirm the findings of Leal et al (15). It is important to encourage and instruct the aged population to participate in alternative programs aimed at health promotion and disease prevention such as the Universities Open to the third-age population (Universidades Abertas à Terceira Idade, UnATIs) and the ATI (11,16).…”

Brazilian-Portuguese translation and cross cultural adaptation of the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale

“…Changes were necessary to adapt specific items to the Brazilian geography (e.g., weather) as well as the socio-demographic reality of the country. The Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.772; 7.7% of the adult population is illiterate, and the overall mean number of school years is 6.5 21,22 . In addition, the purchasing power of Brazilians is still low when compared to other countries.…”

Capacidade funcional e linguagem de idosos não-participantes e participantes de grupos de intervenção multidisciplinar na atenção primária à saúde

“…A baixa escolaridade encontrada se aproxima de outros estudos 26,27 , que em média apresentaram uma porcentagem 35,2% de idosos analfabetos. Idosos com maior nível de escolaridade são mais independentes no autocuidado, incluindo o uso correto de medicamentos, de meios de transporte e comunicação 28 .…”