RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of healthcare services by elderly individuals suffering from chronic diseases. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out with 2,889 individuals aged 65 years or more with chronic conditions - arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and mental illness -, living in catchment areas of primary care units in 41 cities of the South and Northeast regions of Brazil in 2005. The analyzed data were obtained in the baseline study of Programa de Expansão e Consolidação da Saúde da Família (Program for the Expansion and Consolidation of Family Health). The studied variables were sex, age, skin color, marital status, level of schooling, family income, smoking, functional disability, and care model of the primary care unit. The adjusted analysis of outcomes was performed by means of Poisson regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of medical visit in the last six months was 45% in the South region and 46% in the Northeast region. The prevalence of participation in groups of educational activities in the last year was 16% in the South and 22% in the Northeast. In both regions, use of services was higher for elderly people under the age of 80 years, with low level of schooling and living in catchment areas of primary care units with Programa Saúde da Família (Family Health Program). Only in the South region did the elderly with functional disability have higher prevalence of medical visits. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of medical visit and participation in groups of educational activities was low when compared to previous studies conducted with elderly individuals in Brazil. The results indicate that, although the Family Health Program promotes greater use of services at primary care units by elderly people with chronic conditions, it is necessary to expand the access of those aged over 80 and of individuals with functional disability.
Assuntos
Doença Crônica/epidemiologia , Atenção à Saúde , Saúde da Família , Avaliação Geriátrica/estatística & dados numéricos , Serviços de Saúde para Idosos/estatística & dados numéricos , Atenção Primária à Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Distribuição por Idade , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Brasil/epidemiologia , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Distribuição de Poisson , Distribuição por Sexo , Pigmentação da Pele , Fatores SocioeconômicosRESUMO
OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência e padrão de consumo de psicofármacos pela população e comparar esses resultados com outro estudo de 1994. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal de base populacional, com 3.542 indivíduos de 15 anos ou mais, residentes na zona urbana de Pelotas em 2003. Os dados referentes ao consumo de duas semanas foram coletados em entrevistas domiciliares, utilizando um questionário idêntico ao utilizado em 1994. As variáveis estudadas foram: idade, sexo, cor da pele, situação conjugal, renda familiar, escolaridade, tabagismo, diagnóstico médico de hipertensão e consulta médica nos últimos três meses. Na análise bivariada, utilizou-se teste de qui-quadrado de Pearson e de tendência linear. A análise multivariada foi composta por quatro níveis. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de consumo de psicofármacos foi de 9,9 por cento (IC 95 por cento: 8,9-10,9). Ao comparar as prevalências padronizadas por idade, não houve diferença significativa em relação à prevalência observada em 1994. O maior consumo de psicofármacos associou-se significativamente a: ser do sexo feminino, o aumento da idade, o diagnóstico médico de hipertensão e a utilização de serviços médicos. Dos entrevistados, 74 por cento dos usuários estavam utilizando psicofármacos há mais de três meses. CONCLUSÕES: Após uma década, a prevalência permanece alta, porém o consumo de psicofármacos não aumentou. Os achados sugerem a importância da indicação adequada dos psicofármacos e do acompanhamento médico regular desses usuários, dada a associação encontrada entre as consultas e o consumo.
Assuntos
Estudos Transversais , Farmacoepidemiologia , Psicofarmacologia , Psicotrópicos/administração & dosagem , Uso de Medicamentos/tendências , BrasilRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and patterns of psychotropic use by population and to compare the results with a study carried out in 1994. METHODS: This is a population-based cross-sectional study carried out in 2003 with 3,542 participants aged 15 or older who lived in an urban area in Southern Brazil. Two-week recall data were collected in household interviews through the same questionnaire used in the 1994 study. The variables studied were age, gender, race, education, family income, marital status, smoking, medical diagnosis of hypertension, and physician visit at last three months. Pearson's Chi-square and linear tendency were used in the bivariate analysis. Four levels of multivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of psychotropic use was 9.9% (CI 95%: 8.9-10.9). There was no significant difference among standardized age groups when compared to the prevalence rates observed in 1994. Higher psychotropic use was associated with being female, older age, medical diagnosis of hypertension, and health service utilization. Of those interviewed, 74% of those drug users were using psychotropic drugs for over three months. CONCLUSIONS: A decade later, prevalence remained high, yet psychotropic drug use did not increase. The association between health service utilization and consumption shows the importance of the appropriate prescription of psychotropic drugs and regular follow-up of those prescribed them by physicians.