Current health status and self-care practices among older adults

Resumo

Introduction: This increased longevity demand reviews about this population is aging. Being the primary care of the ordering healthcare Strategy Family Health know the habits of the elderly, their difficulties and self-care practices to propose strategies for promoting physical, social and mental well-being, beyond the satisfaction and motivation to live.

Objective: Check the current health status, self-care practices and satisfaction with the health of elderly linked to the Family Health Strategy Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Methodology or experience description: Cross-sectional, quantitative study with 301 elderly resident in the area of the ESF Adolfo Groth and ESF Planaltina, after approval by the UPF Research Ethics Committee. Data were collected by applying a survey and a playful scale to assess the degree of satisfaction with health, through home visits or at the health unit. Data were coded and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using the Student T test, with a significance level of 5%.

Results: The study population had a mean age 69.9±7.3 years, with a predominance of women. With regard to health conditions, 90.7% of subjects reported at least one chronic disease, 47.5% considered their " regular" current state of health; 63.5% considered their current health similar to a year ago and 44% considered it similar to people of the same age. The degree of satisfaction reported by the playful scale, 72.4% of seniors are happy with their health. Chronic drug use was reported by most patients. There was a significant association in reference to chronic disease and medication use continuously (p = 0.001). Self-medication was the most common practice of self-care in the elderly (p = 0.001).

Conclusions or Hypothesis: The presence of a chronic disease was reported by the majority, with the continued use of drugs and the practice of self-medication significantly more frequent although the degree of satisfaction with their health conditions mentioned positively. Health teams should work more effectively in promoting self-care practices, discouraging self-medication and promoting independence of elderly.