Perceived health status in people over 65 years
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abstract
The assessment of the health status perception
is increasingly used in monitoring the health of
populations. This assessment is useful to the planning of
a comprehensive, multidimensional and dynamic intervention
in the elderly, envisaging a successful aging.The
area of residence is one of the determining factors to the
perception of health status and may also condition its relationship
with other factors which affect health (Araujo &
Ramos Lopes, 2011).
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the
relationship between the health status perception and
sociodemographic and clinical variables in elderly living
in rural areas.
Methods: A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive and
cross-sectional study was designed applying a questionnaire
consisting of a generic health instrument SF - 36v2
and sociodemographic and clinical questions to a sample
of 27old people (82% of a rural community in the north
of Portugal). Data were collected in 2013.
Results and Conclusions: Results are lower than the
average values of reference to the Portuguese population
(Ferreira & Santana, 2003). Significant differences were
found in relation to sociodemographic and clinical variables.
We also concluded that the youngest, men, married ones,
those who live in their households, the ones who have the
help of the family and friends when they need and those
who didn’t report any disease have a better perception of
their health status. Among those who reported suffering
from cardiovascular and osteoarticular diseases, the first
ones showed a better perception of their health status.
The assessment of the health status perception is increasingly used in monitoring the health of
populations. This assessment is useful to the planning of a comprehensive, multidimensional and dynamic intervention
in the elderly, envisaging a successful aging.The area of residence is one of the determining factors to the perception of health status and may also condition its relationship with other factors which affect health (Araujo & Ramos Lopes, 2011).
