[Disability and use of health services by the elderly in Greater Metropolitan Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil: a population-based study].
This study focused on the association between disability and use of health services among elderly individuals in Greater Metropolitan Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The study included 1,624 elderly patients (≥ 60 years) selected by representative sampling. The dependent variable was use of health services, based on three descriptors: number of physician visits, home consultations, and hospitalizations. The target independent variable was disability, including difficulty in performing activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). IADL was only associated with hospitalization (PR = 1.62; 95%CI: 1.16-2.26), while ADL was associated with hospitalization (PR = 1.73; 95%CI: 1.24-2.42) and home consultations (PR = 8.54; 95%CI: 4.22-17.27). The findings show increased use of health services (especially more costly ones) among older adults with disabilities, and that functional health dimensions have not oriented health services, still largely conditioned on the presence of diseases.
Camila Bruno
CB
Fialho
Maria Fernanda
MF
Lima-Costa
Karla Cristina
KC
Giacomin
Antônio Ignácio de
AI
Loyola Filho
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population