[The profile of hospitalizations and associated factors among elderly users of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS)]

Cardiovascular risk factors in the elderly: a 10-year follow-up survival analysis

AIMS

Cardiovascular risk factors present a high prevalence and have an impact on the morbimortality of the elderly; however, studies evaluating the impact of cardiovascular risk factors in the elderly have had short follow-up times and have not allowed specific analyses of the effects of these factors in the aged population, including how they affect the survival of the elderly. This study aimed to analyse the survival of elderly individuals living in the community, considering the presence of cardiovascular risk factors.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A prospective 10-year follow-up was initiated in 2008 with a cohort of 418 elderly people living in a community in Central Brazil. The Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to examine the association between survival and cardiovascular risk factors. The mean age of the participants was 70.6 (±7.1) years; most participants were hypertensive (81.6%) and participated in irregular physical activity (44%), and 43.3% smoked. After a mean follow-up of 8.38 (±2.82) years, 59.3% had survived and 34.1% had died; among the deaths, 14.1% were due to cardiovascular causes. Age [hazard ratio (HR) 1.067, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.027-1.109], hypertension (HR 3.178, 95% CI 1.144-8.826), and smoking (HR 2.235, 95% CI 1.253-3.987) were confirmed as risk factors for reduced survival, whereas physical activity was a protective factor (HR 0.456, 95% CI 0.206-1.007).

CONCLUSION

The results from this study highlight the need for educational policies towards hypertension and smoking prevention among elderly people, and participation in physical activity needs to be encouraged.

Does Abdominal Obesity Increase All-Cause, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer Mortality Risks in Older Adults? A 10-Year Follow-Up Analysis

There is insufficient evidence on the impact of abdominal obesity (AO) on mortality in older adults. Therefore, the objective to analyze the 10-year impact of AO, assessed using different diagnostic criteria, on all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality in older adults. In this prospective cohort study of older adults (≥60 years), sociodemographic, lifestyle, clinical history, laboratory test, and anthropometric data were analyzed. The considered were used for AO diagnostic: waist circumference (WC) of ≥88 cm for women and ≥102 cm for men; WC of ≥77.8 cm for women and ≥98.8 cm for men; and increased waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), being the highest tertile of distribution by sex. Multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed. A total of 418 individuals, with an average age of 70.69 ± 7.13 years, participated in the study. In the analysis adjusted for sex and age, WHR was associated with a high risk of all-cause mortality (p = 0.044). Both cutoff points used for the WC were associated with an increased CVD mortality risk. None of the AO parameters were associated with cancer mortality. An increased WHR was associated to a higher all-cause mortality risk factor, while an increased WC was a risk factor for a higher CVD mortality in older adults.

Association Between Physical Functioning and Time Until a New Hospitalization in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Physical functioning refers to the ability to independently perform activities that require physical ability, and may be an important tool for predicting a higher risk of hospitalization. The objective of this study was to verify whether aspects of physical functioning are independently associated with the risk for new hospitalization in older adults seen in primary health care.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study consisted of 473 older adults 60 years and older who had not been hospitalized in the prior year. Hospitalization records were obtained with authorization from the hospital admission. Depending on physical functioning, the probability of a new hospital admission within the next 5 years was determined based on survival analysis and the Kaplan-Meier curve. Physical functioning was evaluated using 5 easy-to-administer tests: handgrip strength using a Jamar dynamometer, functional performance using the Short Physical Performance Battery, balance using the step test, mobility using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and gait speed using the 4-m walk test. The association between poor physical functioning and new hospitalization was verified using a Cox regression model, adjusted for sex, age, number of comorbidities, number of medications, and BMI. Models were implemented separately for each physical functioning test.

RESULTS

In the sample, 32% had been hospitalized at least once in 5 years. The Kaplan-Meier curve showed a decrease in the probability of nonhospitalization within the next 5 years. Cox regression analysis showed an association between hospitalization within the next 5 years and mobility on the TUG test of more than 12.4 seconds in the crude (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.10-1.60) and adjusted models (HR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.02-1.56), and balance using the step test of more than 7.5 seconds in the crude (HR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.03-1.56) model.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical functioning tests demonstrated that poor physical performance predicts new hospitalization, and reinforced the importance of their application in physical therapy practice in primary health care settings.

Trajectories and Predictors of Functional Capacity Decline in Older Adults From a Brazilian Northeastern Hospital

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Older adults face increased risk of loss of functional capacity both before and during hospitalization, so identifying older adults at risk for loss in functional capacity during hospitalization would help researchers and clinicians make informed decisions. This study aims to evaluate functional changes from preadmission (baseline) until discharge of hospitalized older adults and identify predictors of loss in functional capacity.

METHODS

This is a prospective cohort study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Natal, Brazil, and enrolled all consecutive patients aged 60 years and older between January 1, 2014, and April 30, 2015. Independent variables included personal characteristics, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) (evaluated by the Lawton and Brody scale), cognition (evaluated by the Leganés cognitive test), depression (assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale-15), and in-hospital mobility (evaluated by the Short Physical Performance Battery). The dependent variable functional capacity was assessed by the Katz scale. These instruments were applied at 2 different times: upon admission (within first 24 hours) and at discharge (12-24 hours before). Functional trajectories were defined as the course of functioning from preadmission until discharge using functional capacity data. A multivariate analysis with generalized estimating equation estimated the longitudinal changes in functional capacity.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The final sample consisted of 1191 older adults and 53.9% were less than 70 years of age. Regarding changes in functional capacity, 52.5% of the older adults presented worse functional capacity at discharge than at baseline. Being dependent for IADL instrumental daily living activities, the presence of depressive symptoms, low levels of cognition, and in-hospital mobility were risk factors for greater loss in functional capacity during a hospitalization event.

CONCLUSION

Hospitalization events may be catastrophic for functional capacity in older adults in Brazil. Functional, cognitive, and emotional status and in-hospital mobility must be carefully assessed at hospital admission and monitored during hospitalization. Effective strategies for preventing loss in functional capacity in older people must improve in the Brazilian hospital system.

Internações por diabetes mellitus em idosos no Brasil de 2001 a 2020: tendência temporal e padrões espaciais

Resumo Objetivo Analisar padrões temporais e espaciais na distribuição das taxas de internação por diabetes mellitus em pessoas idosas (60 anos ou mais) no Brasil. Método Estudo ecológico com dados do Sistema de Informação de Hospitalizações do Sistema Único de Saúde acerca de internações por diabetes em pessoas idosas ocorridas no Brasil de 2001 a 2020. Foi calculada a taxa de internação/100.000 idosos e analisada a tendência temporal pela Regressão Joinpoint. Foram construídos mapas MoranMap univariado e bivariado e aplicada a técnica Skater para analisar a associação entre as taxas de internação e variáveis contextuais por Regiões Imediatas de Articulação Urbana. Resultados Taxas anuais mostram que o Brasil registrou 43,78 internações por diabetes/100.000 idosos no ano 2001 e 21,55/100.000 idosos no ano de 2020, com tendência de redução significativa (AAPC=-3,4% IC95% -4,5; -2,3). Houve autocorrelação espacial média pelo Moran global (I<0,3) no último quinquênio com regiões de elevadas taxas de internação no Norte e Nordeste do Brasil. A análise bivariada mostrou a formação de clusters de altas taxas de internação onde havia elevada cobertura da Estratégia de Saúde da Família e oferta de profissionais, porém, em áreas com piores indicadores sociais. O mapa Skater mostrou clusters de áreas de baixas taxas de internação em áreas de condições sociais favoráveis no Sudeste do Brasil. Conclusão A expansão de políticas governamentais de proteção à saúde do idoso marcou um compromisso nacional com o envelhecimento saudável da população, o reflexo disso é o declínio das taxas de internações por diabetes em idosos no Brasil.

Avoidable hospitalizations in Brazil and Portugal: Identifying and comparing critical areas through spatial analysis

BACKGROUND

Hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions have been used to assess the performance of primary health care. Few studies have compared geographic variation in rates of avoidable hospitalizations and characteristics of high-risk areas within and between countries. The aim of this study was to identify and compare critical areas of avoidable hospitalizations in Brazil and Portugal, because these countries have reformed their primary health care systems in recent years and have similar organizational characteristics.

METHODS

An ecological study on hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions produced in Brazil and Portugal in 2015 was used. Geographic variation of rates were analyzed and compared at the municipal level. A spatial scan statistic was employed to identify clusters with higher risk of hospitalizations for acute and chronic conditions in each country separately. Socioeconomic and primary health care characteristics of critical areas were compared to non-critical areas.

RESULTS

There were high variations in rates of avoidable hospitalizations within and between Brazil and Portugal, with higher variations found in Brazil. A more evident pattern of rates was found in Portugal. Rates and cluster distribution of acute and chronic conditions had significant agreement for both countries. The differences in primary health care and socioeconomic characteristics between areas identified as high risk clusters and non-clusters varied between category of conditions and between countries.

CONCLUSION

Brazil and Portugal presented expressive regional differences with respect to rates of avoidable hospitalizations, indicating that there is room to improve by reducing such events in both countries. Different areas presented distinct interactions between primary health care, socioeconomic characteristics, and avoidable hospitalizations. Results indicate that the primary health care reforms, with similar organizational characteristics in different contexts, did not produce similar results either between or within countries. Possible actions to reduce these events should be defined at a local level.

Tendência das internações e da mortalidade de idosos por condições sensíveis à atenção primária

RESUMO: Objetivo: Analisar a tendência das taxas de internação e de mortalidade de idosos por condições sensíveis à atenção primária (CSAP) no estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil, no período de 2008 a 2015. Método: Estudo ecológico de série temporal, com dados do Sistema de Informações Hospitalares (SIH) do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), utilizando as autorizações de internações hospitalares como fonte de dados, no período de 2008 a 2015, em Santa Catarina. Os dados foram analisados por sexo e idade, estratificada em duas faixas etárias: 60a 79 anos e 80 anos ou mais. Foram realizadas a padronização das taxas por idade através do método direto e a análise estatística por meio de regressão linear segmentada (joinpoint regression). Resultados: Asinternações por condições sensíveis representaram 41% do total de internações de idosos em 2008 e 32% em 2015. Avariação anual da taxa comportou-se de maneira decrescente [-4,6^ IC (-5,7; -3,6)]. As causas mais prevalentes foram: insuficiência cardíaca, doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica e doenças cerebrovasculares. As taxas de mortalidade das internações apresentaram redução, independentemente do sexo e na faixa etária até 80 anos, representando variação anual de menos 2,4%, 2,1% para os idosos e 2,7% para as idosas. Conclusão: Por meio da análise do indicador CSAP, que avalia a qualidade da assistência e a efetividade dos cuidados prestados na atenção primária, os resultados desta pesquisa evidenciaram queda nas taxas de internação de idosos, independentemente do sexo e das faixas etárias estabelecidas no estudo.

Oral health of older people: tracking soft tissue injuries for the prevention of oral cancer

OBJECTIVE

To detect oral soft tissue injuries in older people.

METHOD

A quantitative analytical cross-sectional study conducted in Fortaleza, Ceará. Individual interviews addressed age, gender, marital status, income, and education. The community oral health indicator was used to detect oral soft tissue injuries and their location.

RESULTS

Most of the 821 participants aged 60-100 years were women (580; 70.6%), attended school for up to 5 years (401; 48.8%), were illiterate (201; 24.5%), were retired (608; 74.1%), and received up to 2 wages (701; 85.4%). A total of 604 participants (73.6%) wore dentures. Injuries included red patches (152; 55.9%), blisters (58; 21.3%), lesions and/or wounds (39; 14.3%), and white patches (30; 11%). Locations of injuries were the roof of the mouth (167; 61.4%), gums (62; 22.8%), cheeks (39; 14.3%), tongue (15; 5.5%), lips (15; 5.5%), and the floor of the mouth (12; 4.4%). Injuries were associated with age (p<0.001), retirement (p=0.005), education (p=0.010), dentures (p<0.001) and red patches (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Tracking soft tissue injuries and referring older adults with suspected malignant lesions to the health team should be included as oral cancer identification and prevention measures. Furthermore, health care providers should raise older adults' awareness of the importance of regular preventive examinations.

[High prevalence of abdominal obesity among the elderly and its association with diabetes, hypertension and respiratory diseases]

Rapid population aging and abdominal obesity (AO) are worldwide public health problems among the elderly and have been insufficiently investigated. This article sets out to identify the prevalence of AO among the elderly, its association with different morbidities, sociodemographic variables, and lifestyle according to sex. It is a cross-sectional study with a representative sample of elderly people resident in Goiânia, Brazil. Home visits were conducted to measure weight, height, waist circumference (WC), blood pressure, and to fill out a standardized form. The outcome variable, was calculated at WC> 102 cm for men and> 88 cm for women. Multiple Poisson regression was performed using a hierarchical model, adopting a significance level of 5%. The prevalence of AO was 55.1%, with 65.5% in women and 34.8% in men, with a significant difference (p <0.001). In men, AO was associated with age range between 70 and 74 years, the presence of respiratory diseases and high blood pressure. In women, AO continued to be associated with the presence of diabetes mellitus. The results contribute to the understanding of AO and developing preventive approaches in public health.

[Low consumption of fruit, vegetables and greens: associated factors among the elderly in a Midwest Brazilian city]

The scope of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of daily consumption of fruit, vegetables and greens by the elderly and its association with sociodemographic, lifestyle, morbidity and hospitalization variables. The study was part of the multiple-stage sampling cross-sectional research entitled the Goiânia Elderly Project (Projeto Idosos Goiânia). 416 elderly people were interviewed in their homes. Multivariate analysis was conducted using Poisson regression to analyze statistical associations. P values of <.05 were considered statistically significant. Daily consumption of fruit, vegetables and greens was 16.6%: fruit accounted for 44%, vegetables 39.7% and greens 32.5%. Factors statistically associated with daily consumption of fruits and vegetables were female sex, age between 70 and 79, higher education level, social class A/B and C, alcohol consumption, use of sweeteners, regular physical activity during leisure time, abdominal obesity and hospitalization. Public policies to promote health should develop strategies that encourage adequate intake of fruit, vegetables and greens among the elderly, since regular consumption of same can improve quality of life and prevent/control diseases.

Vulnerabilidade física de idosos na alta hospitalar

RESUMO Vulnerabilidade é a capacidade de um indivíduo sofrer dano em resposta a um estímulo. Identificou-se a vulnerabilidade física de idosos na alta hospitalar e a associação dessa condição com fatores clínicos e sociodemográficos, e foram comparados idosos vulneráveis com os não vulneráveis e aqueles acompanhados ou não pela fisioterapia durante a internação. Este foi um estudo exploratório, com amostra de 122 idosos hospitalizados. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de questionário clínico e sociodemográfico, Mini Exame do Estado Mental, Escala de Depressão Geriátrica e Vunerable Elders Survey-13. Utilizou-se para tanto o teste de correlação de Spearman para identificar a correlação entre vulnerabilidade e dados clínicos e sociodemográficos e o teste de Mann-Whitney. O nível de significância foi de 5%. A vulnerabilidade foi identificada em 75,4% dos idosos. Houve correlação significativa entre vulnerabilidade e idade (r=0,52 p=0,01), tempo de internação (r=0,25 p=0,01) e número de comorbidades (r=0,25 p=0,01), e negativa entre vulnerabilidade e escolaridade (r=-0,20 p=0,02). Houve diferença estatística entre idosos vulneráveis e não vulneráveis para idade (p=0,01), comorbidades (p=0,01), tempo de internação (p=0,01), MEEM (p=0,01) e GDS (p=0,01), e entre idosos acompanhados ou não pela fisioterapia para vulnerabilidade (p=0,04) e tempo de internação (p=0,01). A maioria dos idosos era fisicamente vulnerável na alta hospitalar, sendo eles mais velhos, com mais comorbidades, maior tempo de internação, presença de declínio cognitivo e sintomas depressivos. Aqueles que receberam acompanhamento fisioterapêutico apresentaram maior vulnerabilidade e tempo de internação.

Obesity and its Association with Food Consumption, Diabetes Mellitus, and Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Elderly

Background

Obesity affects a large part of elderly individuals worldwide and is considered a risk predictor for the development of chronic diseases such as cardiac diseases, the leading causes of death in the elderly population.

Objective

To investigate the prevalence of obesity and associated factors, with emphasis on the occurrence of other diseases and on food consumption in elderly individuals treated at the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde, SUS).

Methods

Cross-sectional sampling study performed in the city of Goiânia (Brazil) including elderly individuals (≥ 60 years) receiving primary care. During home visits, we performed anthropometric measurements and applied a structured, standardized, and pre-tested questionnaire assessing socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle conditions, occurrence of diseases, and food consumption. We performed multiple Poisson regression analysis using a hierarchical model and adopting a significance level of 5%.

Results

We evaluated 418 elderly patients with a mean age of 70.7 ± 7 years. Their body mass indices had a mean value of 27.0 kg/m² and were higher in women than in men (27.4 kg/m² versus 26.1 kg/m², respectively, p = 0.017). Obesity had a prevalence of 49.0%, a risk 1.87 times higher between the ages of 60-69 years and 70-79 years, and a rate 1.4 times higher among individuals with more than four morbidities. On multivariate analysis, the factors associated with obesity were age 60-69 and 70-79 years, inadequate consumption of whole-wheat grains and adequate consumption of fruit, musculoskeletal diseases, diabetes mellitus, and acute myocardial infarction.

Conclusions

Obesity had a high prevalence in the evaluated elderly population and was associated with food consumption, musculoskeletal disease, diabetes mellitus, and acute myocardial infarction.

Bone Mineral Density in the Noninstitutionalized Elderly: Influence of Sociodemographic and Anthropometric Factors

Objective. Analysis of bone mineral density (BMD) in the elderly and its associated factors according to sex. Methods. A cross-sectional study is presented herein, with a random sample of 132 noninstitutionalized elderly people. Individuals who did not use diuretics were excluded. BMD was obtained from examination of total body densitometry and its association with sociodemographic variables, lifestyle, anthropometric, and body composition was verified. Results. Mean BMD for men was 1.17 ± 0.12 g/cm(2) and for women was 1.04 ± 0.11 g/cm(2). Higher education was associated with higher BMD values in men (p < 0.05). There was a reduction in BMD in the age group 75-79 years of age in women and over 80 years of age in men (p < 0.05). Underweight was associated with significantly low BMD for both sexes (p < 0.01), while normal weight was associated with low BMD in women (p < 0.001). Discussion. The elderly with low schooling and in older age groups are more probable to also present low BMD. Lower levels of body mass index also indicated towards low BMD.

Polypharmacy, chronic diseases and nutritional markers in community-dwelling older

Polypharmacy is a common practice among the elderly, but few studies have evaluated its association with nutritional markers. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy and its association with nutritional markers, chronic diseases, sociodemographic and health variables. This research is part of the Study Elderly/Goiânia, which evaluated 418 elderly community in a cross-sectional design. Polypharmacy was defined as the use of five or more concomitant medications. The following nutritional markers were investigated: BMI, waist circumference, percentage body fat, weight gain and loss, use of diet, daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, skimmed and whole milk. Multivariate analysis was performed using hierarchical Poisson regression, with significance level set at 5%. The prevalence of polypharmacy was 28% (95%CI 23.1 - 32.5), with a significant association with feminine gender, age range 75 - 79 years, eutrophic nutritional status and obesity, use of diet, poor self-rated health and presence of two, three or more chronic diseases. The high prevalence of polypharmacy and its association with nutritional markers and chronic diseases call the attention for the need of nutritional surveillance and monitoring in the elderly.