Envelhecendo no território: perfil sociodemográfico e clínico de idosos em uma microárea no seridó

Abstract

The aging of the population is a globally established process. As the population ages, new health needs arise, prompting healthcare services to renew and equip themselves to meet the comprehensive needs of the elderly. In Brazil, we highlight the role of Primary Care, with an emphasis on the Family Health Strategy. Recognizing the population within its assigned area allows for health care planning that addresses the needs of its population. The objective was to investigate the health conditions of the population in a micro-area in Seridó, characterizing the profile sociodemographic and clinical of these elderly individuals and identifying prevalent health conditions. This was an observational study conducted in a micro-area of the Walfredo Gurgel neighborhood, municipality of Caicó-RN. The study participants were elderly individuals aged 60 or older residing in the mentioned micro-area with an active medical record. The research instrument was created based on the Elderly Person's Health Booklet. The analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics, using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20 software. The dependent variable was polypharmacy, and the chi-square test and prevalence ratio (PR) calculation were applied. Data were collected from 49 elderly individuals, the majority of whom were female, single, with children, and without disabilities. Arterial Hypertension was the prevalent health condition in the population, and polypharmacy appeared in 32.7% of the participants, significantly higher in individuals over 71 years old (PR=0.260; 95% CI=0.073; 0.928). This study showed that polypharmacy is more common in older individuals. As individuals age, there is a higher exposure to diseases, particularly Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases, making them more susceptible to a greater use of medications.