title: [Evidence of the contribution of elderly support programs to healthy aging in Brazil].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To search the literature for evidence of the contribution of elderly health programs to the process of healthy aging in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The databases Science Direct, SciELO, LILACS, IBECS, the Cochrane Library, and MEDLINE were searched to find articles focusing on initiatives developed for the elderly population and to promote healthy aging, providing a multidimensional evaluation of the quality of life of the elderly, and covering aspects relating to specific health promotion practices. The initiatives were considered effective if the following criteria were met: having goals that included the improvement of health and well-being, having a focus on holistic health, using empowerment as a central mechanism to improve health, and meeting the prerequisites for health and developing actions in the priority areas described in the Ottawa Charter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten articles referring to five elderly health promotion programs in Brazil were identified. All the programs met the efficacy criteria, and included elements that promoted healthy aging through characteristics that fostered the insertion of the elderly in society through the creation of a support environment for the prevention of injury, increase in functional capacity, and improvement of quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies are required to produce scientific evidence on the efficacy, efficiency, and effectiveness of elderly health programs to determine the value of these actions to promote healthy aging.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição e Saúde, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brasil.
authors.forename: Larissa Fortunato
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Carolina Gomes
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Erica Toledo
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: de Mendonça
authors.forename: Aline Vasconcellos Martins
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siqueira-Batista
authors.forename: Rosângela Minardi Mitre
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cotta
mesh_terms: D000056:Accident Prevention; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001938:Brazil; D006040:Goals; D006078:Government Programs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006292:Health Priorities; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D011157:Population Dynamics; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support