[Live longer and better? Estimates of healthy life expectancy in the Brazilian population]

Ethnic differences in disability-free life expectancy and disabled life expectancy in older adults in Chile

BACKGROUND

Although about 10% of the Latin American population is indigenous, ethnic differences in disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) and life expectancy with disability (DLE) are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate disability-free life expectancy and disabled life expectancy among Mapuche (the largest indigenous group) and non-indigenous older adults aged 60 years or more in Chile.

METHOD

Disability was measured following a methodology that combines limitations of daily living, cognitive impairment and dependence previously validated in Chile. Finally, the DFLE was estimated using Sullivan's method combining life tables by ethnicity and disability proportions from the EDES survey designed for the study of ethnic differentials in health and longevity in Chile.

RESULTS

Non-Indigenous people have a higher total and Disability-free life expectancy compared to Mapuche people at all ages. While at age 60 a Mapuche expects to live 18.9 years, of which 9.4 are disability-free, a non-Indigenous expects to live 26.4 years, of which 14 are disability-free. In addition, although the length of life with disability increases with age for both populations, Mapuche who survive to age 80 or 90 expect to live 84% and 91% of their remaining life with disability, higher proportions compared to non-indigenous people (62.9% and 75%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study addressing inequities in DFLE between the Mapuche and non-Indigenous population, reflected in lower total life expectancy, lower DFLE and higher DLE in Mapuche compared to the non-Indigenous population. Our results underscore the need for increased capacity to monitor mortality risks among older people, considering ethnic differences.

Quality of life of older adults in Family Health Strategy: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

With the increase in the older adult population, it is essential to identify the living and health conditions that can impact the quality of life of these individuals.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the domains and factors associated with the quality of life of older adults under the Family Health Strategy program.

DESIGN AND SETTING

This was a cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the municipality of Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil.

METHODS

We assessed 449 older adults enrolled in the Family Health Strategy program. Data were collected between April and July, 2018. World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL-OLD) was used to assess the quality of life (QoL) and multiple linear regression was used to estimate the factors associated with QoL.

RESULTS

The QoL domain with the highest score was death and dying (mean = 70.4), and the lowest score was for sensory functions (mean = 61.0 points). The factors associated with QoL were single marital status (β = -4.55; P = 0.014), level of independence for daily living activities (β = 4.92; P < 0.001), self-assessment of regular health (β = 5.35; P < 0.001), and poor health (β = -8.67; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The death and dying domain of QoL presented the highest score. Marital status, impairment in daily activities, and health self-assessment were associated with QoL.

Socio-spatial inequalities in healthy life expectancy in the elderly, Brazil, 2013 and 2019

The growth in longevity in Brazil has drawn attention to more useful population health measures to complement mortality. In this paper, we investigate socio-spatial differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy based on information from the Brazilian National Health Survey (PNS), 2013 and 2019. A three-stage cluster sampling with stratification of the primary sampling units and random selection in all stages was used in both PNS editions. Healthy life expectancy was estimated by Sullivan's method by sex, age, and Federated Units (UF). Severe limitations to at least one noncommunicable chronic disease (NCD) or poor self-rated health were used to define the unhealthy state. Inequality indicators and a Principal Component analysis were used to investigate socio-spatial inequalities. From 2013 to 2019, both life expectancy and healthy life expectancy increased. The analysis by UF show larger disparities in healthy life expectancy than in life expectancy, with healthy life expectancy at age 60 varying from 13.6 to 19.9 years, in 2013, and from 14.9 to 20.1, in 2019. Healthy life expectancy in the wealthiest quintile was 20% longer than for those living in the poorest quintile. Wide socio-spatial disparities were found with the worst indicators in the UF located in the North and Northeast regions, whether considering poverty concentration or health care utilization. The socio-spatial inequalities demonstrated the excess burden of poor health experienced by older adults living in the less developed UF. The development of strategies at subnational levels is essential not only to provide equal access to health care but also to reduce risk exposures and support prevention policies for adoption of health behaviors.

Perfil do consumidor de alimentos funcionais: identidade e hábitos de vida

Resumo Com a mudança na alimentação dos adultos nas últimas décadas, aumenta o desenvolvimento de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. Aumentar o consumo de alimentos funcionais, com ações metabólicas benéficas ao organismo, é uma estratégia para proporcionar benefícios à saúde em longo prazo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar os fatores que têm influência na percepção e no consumo de alimentos funcionais por adultos. Neste estudo, dentre os fatores que interferem no consumo de alimentos funcionais identificados, os aspectos socioeconômicos, de saúde e de qualidade dos alimentos se destacaram. No âmbito geral, apesar de controvérsias, os estudos caracterizam os consumidores de alimentos funcionais como mulheres, de boa situação financeira e alto nível de escolaridade, que se preocupam com a saúde de forma global, na medida em que praticam atividades físicas e têm uma alimentação adequada. Ademais, percebe-se que a cultura local tem bastante influência na percepção dos alimentos funcionais. Alguns fatores, como a familiaridade, sejam do produto, seja da alegação funcional, também são importantes para determinar a atitude do consumidor perante esses alimentos. O sabor é o principal atributo sensorial que define o consumo de alimentos funcionais. Os consumidores também tendem a preferir alimentos que são considerados naturais e não processados. Portanto, estudos que relacionem hábitos globais de saúde e o consumo de alimentos funcionais podem ser interessantes para assim nortear as intervenções e a inovação na produção de alimentos nesta área.

[Increase in the complaints of the elderly about supplemental health in Brazil]

The scope of this study was to describe the complaints of elderly Brazilians received by the National Supplemental Health Agency. It is an ecological study, with secondary data from the Integrated Inspection System. A trend analysis of the complaints received by the National Supplemental Health Agency of elderly beneficiaries from all over Brazil was conducted between 2008 and 2017. A total of 111,497 complaints were filed by elderly beneficiaries of the supplemental health system. The highest number of complaints (27.07) and the highest average annual increase (7.79, r2=0, 97), and the South region, with the lowest average rate for the period (7.11) and the lowest observed mean annual increase (1.84; r2=0.92) were identified. The highest rate of complaints was related to the coverage of the plan, between the elderly aged 70 to 79 and beneficiaries of individual or family plans. Growing dissatisfaction among older people with the supplemental health system reflected the large number of complaints received by the National Supplemental Health Agency over a period of nine years.

Family Health Strategy Care Accessibility in West Bahia

This study assessed the Family Health Strategy (ESF) health care accessibility in the municipal system, which is the health macro-region headquarters in Bahia. It consisted of two levels of analysis: the municipal management and the local organization of ESF teams. Data production combined documentary analysis, non-participant observation, and interviews with managers, professionals, and users. Goal-image was used with evaluative criteria and dimensions of the accessibility in Primary Care. Family Health Teams (EqSF) still do not entirely fulfill the role of preferential contact in municipal health services, and the health care accessibility reflects the interdependence of municipal and local factors. Rural and peripheral teams performed better in organizational accessibility, and central urban teams performed better in geographic accessibility. The assessment focused on geographic and organizational criteria, combining different sources of evidence and health system players using analysis levels considering the municipal and local PHC management are relevant contributions of this study, which can be extended to other municipal systems with similar characteristics.

[Dance as an intervention to improve mobility and balance in elderly: a literature review]

The aim of the present review was to identify whether dance protocols can benefit mobility and balance in elderly. A literature review was conducted in which 927 potentially relevant studies were identified (published in Portuguese, English, French, German, Spanish or Italian). There was no publication period restriction. After reading the titles, abstracts and review of the exclusion criteria, 15 randomized controlled trials were included. Most of the studies evaluated female subjects, using heterogeneous protocols of intervention and unspecific control groups. In addition, the period of exposure to dance was generally short: 2.6 weekly practices, of 59.1 minutes each, performed through 12.1 weeks. Dance was shown to be beneficial in 77.6% of the evaluated outcomes, exhibiting a moderate effect size for static balance and functional balance; and small effect size for mobility and strength/resistance of the lower limbs. However, future studies with the use of specific control groups and adoption of longer lasting protocols are necessary to evaluate the actual size effect that dance has on the maintenance of mobility and balance in elderly.

Factors associated with the functional capacity of elderly individuals with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus

Abstract Objective: To identify the association of sociodemographic and clinical factors with the functional capacity of elderly individuals with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus. Method: An outpatient, non-probabilistic cross-sectional study, performed in two Health Units in a city from the inland of Bahia, Brazil, with a population of 100 elderly individuals monitored through the HIPERDIA Program. Data was collected using a questionnaire covering socio-demographic data, the Katz index and the Mini Mental State Examination. Results: The analysis showed that 45% of the respondents had some degree of dependence. In the multivariate analysis it as observed that the elderly individuals aged 70 years old or more presented 1.9 times more chances to develop some degree of dependence in relation to those under 70 years old. Considered the same age group, it was shown that those with concomitant comorbidities (hypertension and diabetes) were 1.7 times more likely to develop some dependence compared to those who only had hypertension. Conclusion and implications for practice: It was possible to conclude that functional capacity as a multifactorial condition in this population was determined by age and by the presence of comorbidities (hypertension and diabetes). Identifying these disability-conditioning factors allows for a better planning of nursing care based on promoting a healthy, independent and autonomous aging process.

Co-occurrence and clustering of the four major non-communicable disease risk factors in Brazilian adolescents: Analysis of a national school-based survey

Background

The major non-communicable chronic diseases (NCD) are associated with a small group of modifiable lifestyle-related risk factors, including smoking, insufficient physical activity, unhealthy eating, and alcohol abuse. In this study, we evaluated the co-occurrence and clustering of the major NCD risk factors among Brazilian adolescents.

Methods

This cross-sectional study analyzed data of 101,607 adolescents from the Brazilian National Survey of School Health (PeNSE) 2015. The risk factors included were: regular consumption of ultra-processed foods, irregular consumption of fruits and vegetables, insufficient physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Clustering was defined through the ratio between observed and expected prevalences of combination of risk factors greater than 1. Expected prevalence of the co-occurrence of risk factors was calculated from the joint probability of the behaviors. Additionally, we examined the presence of at least four risk factors according to socioeconomic characteristics.

Results

Of the 32 combinations of risk factors, 13 corresponded to clustering. We observed a strong correlation between alcohol consumption and smoking, which were found together in 8 of the 13 clusters identified. The most frequent combinations of risk factors involved unhealthy eating and insufficient physical activity. Only 2.9% of the adolescents did not present any risk behaviors, while 38.0%, 32.9%, 9.4% and 1.8% accumulated two, three, four and five risk factors, respectively. The accumulation of risk factors was higher in girls, older adolescents, those who did not live with both parents, children of less-educated mothers, students attending public school, and residents of cities in more developed urban areas of the country.

Conclusions

The main risk factors for NCD are frequent and not randomly distributed among Brazilian adolescents. Our results provide information for policymakers to target specific groups and joint behavioral risk factors for health improvement in adolescents.

Estimativas de expectativa de vida livre de incapacidade funcional para Brasil e Grandes Regiões, 1998 e 2013

Resumo A expectativa de vida aos 60 anos no Brasil aumentou cerca de 9 anos em pouco mais de meio século. Trata-se de um ganho de sobrevida generalizado, mas que também ocorre de forma heterogênica entre as Grandes Regiões do país. Por outro lado, pouco se sabe, ainda, como os aumentos da expectativa de vida aos 60 anos por região podem ser acompanhados por acréscimos ou decréscimos tanto nos anos vividos com incapacidade, quanto nos vividos livre de incapacidade. O objetivo deste artigo é analisar, para 1998 e 2013, aumentos na Expectativa de Vida Total e suas componentes: Expectativa de Vida Livre de Incapacidade Funcional (EVLI) e com Incapacidade Funcional (EVCI), aos 60, 70 e 80 anos para a população do Brasil e Grandes Regiões. O estudo utilizou informações sobre incapacidade funcional da PNAD de 1998 e PNS de 2013 e empregou o método de Sullivan para estimação da EVLI por sexo e idade. No geral, os resultados mostraram que, entre 1998 e 2013, concomitantemente aos ganhos na EV, ocorreu um crescimento na EVLI. Contudo, os ganhos na EVLI não foram estatisticamente significativos para as regiões Norte e Centro-Oeste. Ou seja, com exceção dessas regiões, além de viver mais, a população idosa de 60 anos poderia esperar viver um número maior de anos com saúde.

Depressive symptoms in older adults in basic health care

Abstract Objective: To identify depressive symptoms in older adults treated in primary care. Method: A descriptive-exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted with 260 older adults registered with Family Health Units in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. A sociodemographic instrument and the Geriatric Abridged Depression Scale (GDS-15) were applied. Descriptive analysis summarized the variables through percentages and number of participants. Results: There was a prevalence of older adults aged 60-70 years (n=154; 59.2%), who were female (n=186; 71.5%) and had a low educational level (n=89; 34.2%). The GDS-15 revealed that 195 (75.0%) of the older adults had no depressive symptoms. It was observed that 219 (84.2%) older adults were satisfied with their lives, 198 (76.1%) felt happy most of the time, 194 (74.6%) were in a good mood most of the time, 236 (90.8%) reported feeling hope in their lives and 248 (95.4%) mentioned feeling that it was wonderful to be alive. In addition, 135 (51.9%) older adults preferred to go out rather than stay at home, 180 (69.2%) felt full of energy, and 226 (86.9%) considered themselves useful people, although 112 older adults (43.0%) had interrupted many of their activities and 141 (54.2%) feared that something bad would happen. Conclusion: Primary Health Care is responsible for the screening of depressive symptoms in older adults to implement actions to protect and promote the health of this population. It is a guiding strategy of the care process, aimed at stimulating active aging and autonomy, as well as the prevention of health problems. This study contributes to reflections on the importance of public policies and good practices in the care of older adults.

Previsão do Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano e da expectativa de vida nos países da América Latina por meio de técnicas de mineração de dados

Resumo A previsibilidade de indicadores epidemiológicos pode contribuir na projeção de variáveis dependentes, auxiliar em tomadas de decisões para sustentar ou não políticas públicas e justificar o cenário vivido pelos países e o mundo. O artigo tem por objetivo predizer o Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano e a expectativa de vida nos países latino-americanos no período de 2015 a 2020, utilizando técnicas de mineração de dados. Foram percorridas as etapas do processo Descoberta de Conhecimento em Base Dados. Adotaram-se para previsões modelos desenvolvidos com séries multivariadas através do algoritmo de mineração de dados SMOReg, que apresentaram melhor desempenho em testes desenvolvidos durante o experimento. As médias do Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano e da expectativa de vida nos países latino-americanos tendem a aumentar no período analisado, respectivamente, 4,99 ± 3,90 % e 2,65 ± 0,06 anos. Experiências multivariadas possibilitam maior aprendizagem dos algoritmos, aumentando sua precisão. As técnicas de mineração de dados apresentaram melhor qualidade nas previsões em relação à técnica mais popular, ARIMA. As previsões sugerem média de crescimento do IDH e EV dos países latino-americanos maiores que a mundial.

Instruments for the functional assessment of elderly persons in palliative care: an integrative review

Abstract Objective: to identify validated instruments that can be used for the functional assessment of elderly persons in Palliative Care. Method: an integrative review focused on identifying instruments for the functional assessment of elderly persons in palliative care was carried out by searching publications in periodicals indexed in seven electronic databases. Descriptors, keywords and Boolean operators were used for a cross-database search in November 2017. A total of 357 abstracts were identified, from which 53 articles were selected for reading, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria. Results: this strategy allowed the identification of eight scales and one test for the functional assessment of elderly persons in palliative care. Conclusion: eight scales and a functional test which also provide guidelines for improving the quality of life of elderly people in palliative care were identified, demonstrating that it is practically impossible to disassociate physical functional performance from social and psychological aspects.

Prevalence of hypoalbuminemia and nutritional issues in hospitalized elders

Objective:

to estimate the prevalence of hypoalbuminemia in hospitalized elders, related to socio-demographic variables, nutritional status and length of stay.

Methods:

crosscutting study with 200 patients hospitalized in a large hospital in the South of Brazil during three months. Evaluations, lab tests and interviews through questionnaires were performed.

Results:

the average albuminemia was 2,9 ± 0,5g/dL. Hypoalbuminemia was diagnosed in 173 subjects (87%) and was absent in 27 (13%) that have normal albuminemia (p=0,000). After six days of hospitalization, the prevalence of low levels grew significantly to 90% (p=0,002), average 2,7 ± 0,5g/dL. Using the Mini Nutritional Assessment, it was observed that 41 patients were malnourished and from those, 40 had hypoalbuminemia.

Conclusion:

the prevalence of hypoalbuminemia proved to be high, in approx. nine in ten elders, and the nutritional status and the length of stay proved to be related to the decrease of serum albumin levels. Thus, it is suggested that monitoring albumin levels should be done to evaluate the risk that the patient has to develop malnutrition and other complications during hospital stays.

Functional capacity and obesity reflect the cognitive performance of older adults living in long-term care facilities

BACKGROUND

With the increase in life expectancy, the elderly Brazilian population has grown considerably. However, longevity is usually accompanied by problems such as the loss of functional capacity, cognitive decline, and deterioration in anthropometric parameters, particularly among those living in long-term care facilities. We analyzed the relationship among cognitive performance, anthropometry, and functional capacity in institutionalized elderly individuals.

METHODS

In a sample of 38 older adults (20 men, 18 women) aged 73.4 ± 8.1 years, data regarding anthropometric and functional measurements as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination were collected. Functional tests were based on a battery adapted from the Functional Fitness Test. The independent t-test and χ² test were applied. P < 0.05 was set as the significance threshold.

RESULTS

The rate of cognitive impairment among obese individuals (78.6%) differed from that among eutrophic subjects (45.8%), but there was no difference between sexes. There was a significant positive correlation between handgrip strength and Mini-Mental State Examination score, and the scores of the timed up-and-go test and the sitting-rising test were negatively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination score.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive impairment in the elderly living in long-term care facilities was more pronounced and frequent in obese individuals. This study also demonstrated that better functional capacity reflects better cognitive performance.

Lifecourse Adversity and Telomere Length in Older Women from Northeast Brazil

We examined associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and shorter telomere length (TL) in 83 older women, including 42 women with less than secondary education and 41 with secondary or more education in a city of Northeast Brazil, a region with substantial socioeconomic inequalities. The low education sample was selected from a representative survey at local neighborhood health centers, while the high education group consisted of a convenience sample recruited by advertising in community centers and centers affiliated with the local university. Relative leukocyte TL was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction from blood samples. ACEs were self-reported. Spline linear regression was fitted to assess the strength of the associations between ACEs and TL. Among women with low education, median TL was 1.02 compared with 0.64 in the high education group (p = 0.0001). Natural log-transformed T/S ratio as the dependent variable was used in analysis. Women with low education had been exposed to more ACEs, and among them those experiencing two or more ACEs had longer TL than women exposed to ≤1 ACEs (p = 0.03); among women with high education, this difference was not significant (p = 0.49). In analyses adjusted by age, education, and parental abuse of alcohol, the linear trend of higher TL with increasing ACEs was confirmed (p = 0.02), and the mean difference in TL between groups remained significant (p = 0.002). The unexpected positive relationship between low education and ACEs with TL suggests that older adults who have survived harsh conditions prevailing in Northeast Brazil have the longest TL of their birth cohort.

Inequalities in healthy life expectancy by Federated States

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the healthy life expectancy at 60 years by sex and Federated States and to investigate geographical inequalities by socioeconomic status.

METHODS

Healthy life expectancy was estimated by the Sullivan method, based on the information of the National Survey on Health, 2013. Three criteria were adopted for the definition of “unhealthy state”: self-assessment of bad health, functionality for performing the activities of daily living, and the presence of noncommunicable disease with intense degree of limitation. The indicator of socioeconomic status was built based on the number of goods at household and educational level of the head of household. To analyze the geographical inequalities and socioeconomic level, inequality measures were calculated, such as the ratio, the difference, and the angular coefficient.

RESULTS

Healthy life expectancy among men ranged from 13.8 (Alagoas) to 20.9 (Espírito Santo) for the self-assessment criterion of bad health. Among women, the corresponding estimates were always higher and ranged from 14.9 (Maranhão) to 22.2 (São Paulo). As to the ratio of inequality by Federated State, the medians were always higher for healthy life expectancy than for life expectancy, regardless of the definition adopted for healthy state. Regarding the differences per Federated State, the healthy life expectancy was seven years higher in one state than in another. By socioeconomic status, differences of three and four years were found, approximately, between the last and first fifth, for men and women, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the association of the mortality indicators with living conditions, the inequalities are even more pronounced when the welfare and the limitations in usual activities are considered, showing the necessity to promote actions and programs to reduce the socio-spatial gradient.

Inequalities in healthy life expectancy by Brazilian geographic regions: findings from the National Health Survey, 2013

Background

The demographic shift and epidemiologic transition in Brazil have drawn attention to ways of measuring population health that complement studies of mortality. In this paper, we investigate regional differences in healthy life expectancy based on information from the National Health Survey (PNS), 2013.

Methods

In the survey, a three-stage cluster sampling (census tracts, households and individuals) with stratification of the primary sampling units and random selection in all stages was used to select 60,202 Brazilian adults (18 years and over). Healthy life expectancies (HLE) were estimated by Sullivan’s method according to sex, age and geographic region, using poor self-rated health for defining unhealthy status. Logistic regression models were used to investigate socioeconomic and regional inequalities in poor self-rated health, after controlling by sex and age.

Results

Wide disparities by geographic region were found with the worst indicators in the North and Northeast regions, whether considering educational attainment, material deprivation, or health care utilization. Life expectancy at birth for women and men living in the richest regions was 5 years longer than for those living in the less wealthy regions. Modeling the variation across regions for poor self-rated health, statistically significant effects (p < 0.001) were found for the North and Northeast when compared to the Southeast, even after controlling for age, sex, diagnosis of at least one non-communicable chronic disease, and schooling or socioeconomic class. Marked regional inequalities in HLE were found, with the loss of healthy life much higher among residents of the poorest regions, especially among the elderly.

Conclusions

By combining data on self-rated health status and mortality in a single indicator, Healthy Life Expectancy, this study demonstrated the excess burden of poor health experienced by populations in the less wealthy regions of Brazil. To mitigate the effects of social exclusion, the development of strategies at the regional level is essential to provide health care to all persons in need, reduce risk exposures, support prevention policies for adoption of healthy behaviors. Such strategies should prioritize population groups that will experience the greatest impact from such interventions.

ATTITUDE TOWARD LEISURE AMONG THE COMMUNITY-DWELLING ELDERLY: AN INTERFACE FOR HEALTH PROMOTION

ABSTRACT A cross-sectional study with quantitative approach carried out with 387 community-dwelling elderly to identify their attitudes toward leisure activities in the cognitive, affective and behavioral dimensions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher's association test and Spearman's correlation. Most participants were female, aged up to 80 years, married and had up to four years of schooling. The elderly had a predominantly positive attitude toward leisure in the three subscales, with a lower mean for the behavioral subscales, which indicated that some elders had a negative attitude. This was significantly associated with age, educational attainment, smoking status and functional capacity. In conclusion, a positive attitude and greater involvement in leisure activities allows health professionals to raise a critical reflection in the elderly, especially in their behavioral attitude to rethink the planning, opportunities and resources for leisure.