Life and health conditions of amazonian elderly river dweller

Resumo

Introduction: Colares is part of the emergence of towns in the Amazon, the phenomenon in the model of "disjointed"urbanization, but with the logic of networking sub-regional urban amid the extensive geographical Amazon context, involving neighboring rural areas and working with economic and political interdependence of goods and services for the coming and going of people, even in poor conditions.

Objective: To identify the conditions of life and health of the elderly from the Island of Colares, part of dozens of small islands scattered near the larger island, the well-known Island of Marajo, in the Amazon River estuary.

Methodology or experience description: Using action-research approach, with data collected in 2009 with 147 seniors, at the time of implementation of the Elderly Health Assesment Protocol (Caderneta do Idoso) throughout the Brazilian territory, as determined by the Ministry of Health.

This protocol has the primary function of raising regular elderly clients data of life and health, that alert professionals from Primary Care , about risk factors even before they manifest organic disease, allowing early action not only to improve the well-being of individuals, but also for a wider conscious public health and effectiveness. Project approved by the Committee of Ethics in Research, protocol n. 075/09-CEP-ICS/UFPA, Br.

Results: The profile of life and health conditions of the elderly sample even little privileged circumstances of health/illness bordering the frailty process and without considerations of the local health system, the data of the river dwellers approximate the national average, in aspects such as the feminization of old age, gains in longevity, morbidity in cardiovascular disease, that seems natural tendency of the human species. Although, the majority responded self-perception of health on the category "bad or very bad" and “regular”, results that deserve attention because it could evolve into worsening risk perception and consequent worsening the clinical picture.

Conclusions or Hypothesis: Adopted as an instrument in the present study: Elderly Health Assesment Protocol (Caderneta do Idoso) proved adequate to reach the proposed goal. The collected data which have clinical function to identify the elderly precocious frailty to intervene in this process, got to compose basic allowance for rethinking policies, programs and strategies in addressing the raised issues.