[A profile of elderly members of community groups in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil].
This study focused on elderly members of community groups, specifically their physical, social, psychological, and economic conditions. A descriptive cross-sectional study included 197 individuals, using the modified Brazilian Old Age Schedule, with questions on physical health, medical services, activities of daily living, social and economic resources, and mental health. The majority of participants were women, widows, and had primary schooling; mean age was 71.66 +/- 6.8 years; 51.27% considered their health good; 85.28% reported at least one illness; 63.96% reported no falls in the previous year; 56.85% reported urinary incontinence (UI). The majority had attended community groups for the elderly for more than five years; 65.99% had a monthly income of up to one minimum wage; and 24.37% displayed depressive symptoms. There was an association between self-perceived health and falls and UI; between falls and neurological, musculoskeletal, and digestive problems and depressive symptoms; between UI and depressive symptoms and activities of daily living; and between family satisfaction and marital status. The health alterations reinforce the epidemiological profile of the elderly and can contribute to orienting collective health measures for this age group.
Borges
Paula Lutiene de Castro e
PL
Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Ambientais e da Saúde, Centro Universitário de Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
Bretas
Rose Procópio
RP
Azevedo
Silvana Fernandes de
SF
Barbosa
Juliana Magalhães Machado
JM
D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D011633:Public Facilities; D012649:Self Concept; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires