title: Impact of a program to promote health and quality of life of elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect on quality of life of elderly people enrolled in GAMIA - Multidisciplinary Care Group to Outpatient Elderly Subjects (Grupo de Assistência Multidisciplinar ao Idoso Ambulatorial) of the Geriatric Department, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2000 and 2002, 83 elderly participants of GAMIA were assessed by the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-bref) at the beginning and the end of the program. Functionality was assessed by Katz and Lawton scales and sociodemographic data were obtained from medical charts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Females predominated (79.5%) and overall mean age was 69.30 years. Data analysis showed a reduction in the physical domain of WHOQOL-bref (p = 0.014) and increased psychological health and environment domains (p = 0.029 and p = 0.007, respectively), detecting a trend of increase in social relationships and in general domains (p = 0.062 and p = 0.052, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical evaluation of the elderly detected previously unknown diseases and determination of the use of new drugs, which might have been the predominant factor for the deterioration of their perception in the physical domain. Improvement in psychological health and the environment can be related to psychological and social support that the elderly received from peers and professionals and the benefits of group activities, as well as the upward trend observed in social relationships and general domains. Participation in a program to promote healthy aging was effective in improving the quality of life of the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital das Clinicas, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Silvia Affini Borsoi
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tamai
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital das Clinicas, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Sergio Márcio Pacheco
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paschoal
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Litvoc
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital das Clinicas, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Adriana Nunes
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Pedro Kallas
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Curiati
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital das Clinicas, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Luis Felipe
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Prada
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital das Clinicas, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jacob-Filho