[Sociodemographic profile and self-referred health conditions of the elderly in a city of Southern Brazil].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between gender and age groups and socioeconomic and health variables among older adults.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study carried out in the a city in Southern Brazil, in 2004. Elderly over 60 years of age (N= 292) were selected through two-stage probabilistic sampling. Data from socioeconomic and demographic variables were collected through household survey. Health conditions were self-referred. Descriptive statistics, and Pearson's Chi-square test with linear-by-linear association model were used for data analysis.


RESULTS
Among the elderly, 67.8% were female, 84% were between 60 to 79 years and 81% considered themselves healthy. Compared to men, women were more likely to live alone (p=0.046), have no partner (p<0.001), be less educated (p=0.021), report more health conditions (p=0,003), use more medications (p=0.016), exercise less (p=0.015), be more dependent to perform activities of daily living (p<0.001), receive lower pension benefits (p<0,001), have less paid jobs (p=0.002). But women perceived themselves as having more social support (p=0.023), consumed less alcohol (p=0.003) and were not smokers (p<0.001). Those with more advanced age were less educated (p<0.001), had poorer economic conditions (p=0.004), received lower pension benefits (p<0,001), were less likely have a partner (p<0.001) and were more dependent to perform activities of daily living (p<0.001) but perceived themselves with more social support (p=0.014) and were not smokers (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Differences between gender and age group were evidenced and they were more marked among women and those with more advanced age.
Paskulin
Lisiane M G
LM
Programa de Pós-graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.paskulin@orion.ufrgs.br
Vianna
Lucila A C
LA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D003710:Demography; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors