Abstract
To investigate aspects of health care provided to the elderly, as a way to undertake health surveillance initiatives. Cross-sectional quantitative study with elderly people who participate in health promotion groups in health centers at Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Surveys were conducted on aspects relative to comprehensive health care provision, namely, records of the Family Health Strategy, diagnosis, awareness of initiatives to treat non-communicable diseases, as well as awareness of related risks and complications. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed of the profile and perception of elderly patients about comprehensive health care. Were interviewed 58 elderly patients; 94.83% of them reported having Arterial Hypertension (AH); 44.83%, Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and 39.66% reported having both comorbidities. Only a small part of the participants was aware of initiatives promoted by health centers for treatment of AH and DM; thus, there is little participation of the elderly in such initiatives. It was found that these patients still have limited awareness of the risks of not treating chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). The population's lack of awareness of primary health care initiatives and low adherence must be addressed by primary health care policies. Importantly, awareness-raising proposals that seek to integrate health promotion and disease prevention may bring comprehensive health care provision to the elderly, thus strengthening health surveillance initiatives.
Highlights
Population aging is a reality in Brazil and all over the world as a result of demographic transition in line with the reduction of fertility rates and mortality as well as increased life expectancy[1,2]
The results showed that the elderly were aware of the risks of lack of control of the target non-communicable diseases (NCDs); they have no awareness of speech-language disorders that stem from complications and/or treatment of these chronic diseases
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus are considered as chronic diseases that are characterized as long-term diseases
Summary
Population aging is a reality in Brazil and all over the world as a result of demographic transition in line with the reduction of fertility rates and mortality as well as increased life expectancy[1,2] In addition to this transition, there have been changes in the health-disease relationship, with an increase in the prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes Mellitus, chronic respiratory diseases and neoplasms. These changes have an impact on the planning of health initiatives, since chronic NCDs require control and follow-up as a way of preventing complications that can produce an impact on the health status and functional capacity of the elderly, compromising their autonomy and quality of life. As a way to organize the model of primary health care, priority measures were defined for the elderly, e.g., the deployment of Programa Saúde do Idoso (“Health of the Elderly Program”), referred to as Capital Idoso “(Elderly Capital”), and the attempt to establish and/or maintain health-promoting group activities, e.g., physical activity (Floripa Ativa), anti-smoking campaigns and groups of patients with specific diseases such as arterial hypertension and diabetes
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