Autocuidado de pessoas com Diabetes Mellitus e hipertensão arterial sistêmica em condições pós-Covid

Abstract

COVID-19 is an infection with diabetes mellitus and systemic arterial hypertension as its main risk factors for worsening. This fact was observed during the recent pandemic, which resulted in millions of deaths and caused various sequelae in affected individuals, including the inability to perform daily life activities. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyze the self-care actions of individuals with diabetes mellitus and systemic arterial hypertension in post-COVID conditions, based on Orem's theory. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, exploratory, and quantitative study conducted in the urban area of Ceará Mirim municipality, part of the metropolitan region of Natal, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The study setting included 09 Family Health Basic Units during October and November 2023. The adult population of 6,932 included users aged 18 and above diagnosed with diabetes and/or hypertension who had experienced COVID-19. A stratified sample of 363 participants was obtained, undergoing a structured interview using the "Clinical Record for post-COVID condition," adapted for the research, and the "World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) – short version," conducted both at health units and participants' homes. Data were organized using the Statistical Package for Social Science version 25.0, applying the ANOVA test to compare WHODAS 2.0 – short version domains. The analysis employed descriptive statistics through relative and absolute frequencies. The research was approved by the National Commission of Ethics in Research under opinion number 6.434.826. Results identified that the majority of participants were female (75.1%), with an average age of 56.78 years, and half (50.14%) had systemic arterial hypertension. Regarding post-COVID-19 sequelae, the mobility and cognition domains were the most affected, with the most frequent symptoms being forgetfulness (81.36%), persistent fatigue (70.17%), anxiety (62.03%), joint pain/swelling (58.98%), muscle pain (52.88%), and difficulty concentrating (42.71%). In conclusion, it can be affirmed that health symptoms in the post-COVID-19 condition contributed to limiting self-care actions in participants of this study. From the perspective of Orem's theory, diabetic and hypertensive individuals affected by these sequelae exhibited deficits in self-care. This conclusion is considered relevant as it emphasizes the importance of assessing individuals in post-COVID conditions requiring rehabilitation for functional and cognitive disabilities. Additionally, it contributes to defining flows and priorities in primary health care services and nursing assistance in the post-pandemic scenario.