RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The longevity of the world population can contribute to an increase in hospitalizations and, consequently, to the emergence of functional limitations, resulting in the need for family caregivers. Hospitalized older adults may become dependent and require more care, increasing the burden on family caregivers. Thus, the nursing team in the hospital environment faces a new situation: an increase in the number of older adults occupying hospital beds and the presence of their family caregivers. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze the association between the demographic variables of interest and the self-rated health of family caregivers and to describe the functionality of older adults hospitalized in a university hospital in the Amazonian context. METHODS: This cross-sectional, quantitative, exploratory, and descriptive study was carried out through individual interviews with 98 interviewees, divided into 49 family caregivers and 49 older adults hospitalized in the surgical clinic sector of a university hospital in Brazil between February and March 2023. Demographic data and health conditions were collected from family caregivers, and to describe the functionality of hospitalized older adults, the Barthel Index was applied. Descriptive (frequency and percentage) and inferential analyses were used, and the student t test was applied. The significance level of 5% was adopted. RESULTS: Among the 49 family caregivers, the majority were women (n=40, 81.6%) with an average age of 46.9 (SD 13.3) years. Most were single (n=28, 57.1%) and had completed an average level of education (n=26, 53.1%). Additionally, 25 (51%) caregivers were caring for their parents. Regarding health conditions, respondents self-assessed their health as good (25/49, 51%; P=.01), and they considered that their health status was not affected by the provision of care (36/49, 73.5%; P=.01). There was a significant association between demographic variables (ie, gender, age, and education) and self-assessment of family caregivers (P=.01, P=.01, and P=.04, respectively). Of the 49 older adults hospitalized, the majority (n=31, 63.2%) were men, with a mean age of 69.2 (SD 7.12) years. Regarding the assessment of functionality, most older adults were classified as having mild dependence on care (n=23, 46.9%), specifically in the age group between 60 and 69 years (21/49, 67.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The data revealed that female gender, age, and education of family caregivers contributed favorably to the provision of care to hospitalized older adults with a lower degree of functional dependence. It is important to emphasize that during the older adult's hospitalization, the family caregiver should not be seen as a delegation of responsibilities or as a complement of human resources to assist in their recovery. Health professionals need to implement assertive interventions so that the family caregiver functions as a therapeutic resource.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus, one of the main diseases that affects the Brazilian population older than 60 years, is defined as a divergent group of metabolic disorders that present a high level of glycemia (hyperglycemia), causing damage to various organs and systems of the body, including the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nervous system. It is believed that in 2025, in Brazil alone, there will be more than 18.5 million individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Therefore, it is important to know the individuals' quality of life in the context of life and culture. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the demographic, clinical, and quality of life profiles of older adults with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic in a university hospital complex in the northern Amazon region. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, exploratory, noninterventional, descriptive, and analytical study using a nonrandom sample of 54 older people diagnosed with diabetes mellitus at the geriatrics outpatient clinic of the medium and high complexity university hospital in the western Brazilian Amazon between 2020 and 2022. We used 3 instruments, namely, a sociodemographic questionnaire, a clinical conditions questionnaire, and Diabetes-39. Qualitative data were described using absolute and relative frequencies. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test was applied, and the z test was used for inferential analysis. SPSS software (version 27) was used for data analysis, and the significance level was 5%. RESULTS: Of the 54 interviewees, the majority were women, married, retired, and had a good quality of life. Of these, 48.1% (n=26) were infected by COVID-19, 61.5% (n=16) of whom progressed to long COVID, presenting with fatigue or muscle weakness. As for the quality of life, the "social overload" (P<.001) and "sexual functioning" (P<.001) dimensions had with low scores compared to the "energy and mobility" (P=.005), "diabetes control" (P<.001), and "anxiety and worry" (P<.001) dimensions. Quality of life was negatively impacted in the "anxiety and worry" dimension. Among those affected by COVID-19, most progressed to long COVID; however, there was a lack of data on this theme in the population of older people with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of interviewees progressed to long COVID, with their quality of life negatively impacted in the "anxiety and worry" dimension, reflecting that health actions prioritizing mental health should be implemented by health professionals.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Demographic changes in the world population have resulted in an increasingly aging society, with a progressive increase in the number of people in situations of dependence, who require assistance from family members to meet their basic needs. Caring for older adults involves performing diverse activities, resulting in reduced free time and tiredness, and fulfilling the demands and expectations related to personal, family, physical, and social life, consequently compromising the quality of life of the caregiver. In this context, the informal caregiver of hospitalized older adults emerges as the focus of attention. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the sociodemographic profile, health conditions, and burden of informal caregivers of older adults admitted to a university hospital in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic period. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study that was conducted with 25 informal caregivers of hospitalized older adults in a university hospital in Brazil between August and September 2022. Three instruments were applied: Caregiver Burden Inventory, sociodemographic questionnaire, and health conditions questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 28.0. Descriptive (frequency and percentage) and inferential analyses were performed using 2-sided Student t test with 95% CIs. RESULTS: Of the 25 interviewees, 18 (72%) were females, 17 (46%) were married or in a stable union, 14 (56%) completed secondary education, and 11 (44%) lived with the older adults who needed care. The average age of the participants was 44 (SD 12.8) years. Regarding their health conditions, most caregivers self-reported it as good (12/25, 48%). They provided care to their father or mother older than 70 years (14/25, 56%). The Caregiver Burden Inventory analysis showed that the caregivers were the most negatively impacted in the domains of personal life overload (mean 10.8, SD 3.46; P=.047) and physical overload (mean 10.6, SD 2.32; P=.02). CONCLUSIONS: In recent years, there has been an increase in the burden on informal caregivers of hospitalized older adults in Brazil, thereby impacting their personal and physical lives. The findings of our study show that health care professionals should be trained to promote health guidelines and actions to improve the personal and physical lives of the caregiver population in Brazil.
RESUMO
Objetivo: Avaliar a qualidade de vida de idosos com diabetes mellitus tipo 2 durante a Pandemia do novo coronavírus. Métodos: Estudo quantitativo, transversal e descritivo com 27 idosos diabéticos atendidos em um hospital universitário durante a Pandemia. Utilizou-se na coleta de dados três instrumentos: perfil sociodemográfico, condições clínicas sobre o novo coronavírus e Diabetes mellitus e Avaliação de Diabetes 39 (D-39) para avaliar a qualidade de vida. Para a análise dos dados foram utilizadas as estatísticas descritivas (frequência e percentual). Resultados: A maioria dos entrevistados são idosas com idade entre 60 a 64 anos, viúvos, baixa escolaridade, aposentados entre 1 a 10 anos de diagnóstico utilizando antiglicemiantes como forma de tratamento. Os idosos consideram sua qualidade de vida boa. Dentre àqueles que se contaminaram com o novo coronavírus foi evidenciado que não houve descontinuidade do tratamento para a Diabetes, entretanto, uma minoria relatou alguma sequela do novo coronavirus (febre, fraqueza muscular e apetite diminuído). A Sobrecarga funcional e o Funcionamento sexual foram as dimensões mais afetadas com todos os itens impactados negativamente. Conclusão: Os resultados apontam boa qualidade de vida dos idosos diabéticos apesar das dimensões Sobrecarga funcional e Funcionamento sexual afetadas negativamente sugerindo maior atenção dos profissionais de saúde. (AU)
Objective: To assess the quality of life of elderly people with type 2 diabetes mellitus during the new coronavirus pandemic. Methods: Quantitative, cross-sectional and descriptive study with 27 elderly diabetics treated at a university hospital during the pandemic. Three instruments were used for data collection: sociodemographic profile, clinical conditions on new coronavirus and Diabetes mellitus and Diabetes Assessment 39 (D-39) to assess quality of life. For data analysis, descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) were used. Results: Most respondents are elderly aged between 60 and 64 years old, widowed, with low education, retired between 1 and 10 years of diagnosis and used antiglycemic agents as a form of treatment. Elderly people consider their quality of life to be good. Among those infected with the new coronavirus, it was shown that there was no discontinuation of treatment for Diabetes, however, a minority reported some sequelae of new coronavirus (fever, muscle weakness and decreased appetite). Functional overload and Sexual functioning were the most affected dimensions, with all items negatively impacted. Conclusion: The results indicate good quality of life for elderly diabetics despite the dimensions Functional overload and Sexual functioning negatively affected, suggesting greater attention from health professionals. (AU)
Objetivo: Evaluar la calidad de vida de los ancianos con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 durante la pandemia del nuevo coronavirus. Métodos: Estudio cuantitativo, transversal y descriptivo con 27 ancianos diabéticos atendidos en un hospital universitario durante la pandemia. Para la recolección de datos se utilizaron tres instrumentos: perfil sociodemográfico, condiciones clínicas sobre nuevo coronavirus y Diabetes mellitus y Diabetes Assessment 39 (D-39) para evaluar la calidad de vida. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó estadística descriptiva (frecuencia y porcentaje). Resultados: La mayoría de los encuestados son ancianos de entre 60 y 64 años, viudos, con baja escolaridad, jubilados entre 1 y 10 años del diagnóstico y que utilizan agentes antiglucémicos como forma de tratamiento. Las personas mayores consideran que su calidad de vida es buena. Entre los infectados con el nuevo coronavirus, se demostró que no se suspendió el tratamiento para la diabetes, sin embargo, una minoría informó algunas secuelas del nuevo coronavirus (fiebre, debilidad muscular y disminución del apetito). La sobrecarga funcional y el funcionamiento sexual fueron las dimensiones más afectadas, con todos los ítems afectados negativamente. Conclusión: Los resultados indican una buena calidad de vida de los ancianos diabéticos a pesar de las dimensiones Sobrecarga funcional y Funcionamiento sexual negativamente afectadas, lo que sugiere una mayor atención por parte de los profesionales de la salud. (AU)