The Promotion of Health in Longevity

   CONTENTS  

Focus on the quality of life of the long-lived

At least 237 oldest-old individuals (90 years and older) passed away in Brazil between the years 2000 and 2010, according to censuses performed at the beginning and end of this decade. This number represents 90.7% of the population in this age group. To understand the reasons for this severe statistic and to propose solutions in the field of public health, Professor Ângelo José Gonçalves Bós leads the activities of the Research Group on Health Promotion in Longevity. The main hypothesis for the cause of this high mortality rate is the lack of medical assistance and specific public policies for this population, as the five most frequent causes of death among potential centenarians in 2010 correspond to more than 50% of the deaths.

The main goal of this Group is to promote opportunities for health access and to identify the care needed to improve the quality of life of the oldest-old. The studies are conducted in three research areas: evaluation of the clinical needs of the centenarians, evaluations of the state of health of the centenarians and their descendants, and the role of pharmaceuticals in the care of institutionalized long-lived individuals.

A study currently under development is aimed at the hospitalization causes sensible to primary care among the elderly. The researchers analyze appropriate instruments to quantify and qualify the access of senior citizens to public health resources. The group believes that hospitalizations due to diseases, such as diabetes, may be avoided if appropriately treated at a health clinic. The project seeks to identify indicators of quality in primary care of the elderly by studying the reasons for their hospitalization. Based on the Database of the Unified Health System (DataSUS), an attempt is being made to ascertain whether municipalities with greater coverage by the Family Health Strategy record fewer hospitalizations and deaths. In the end, the researchers intend to identify possible areas for improvement in the approach toward the elderly and in the training of professionals to address this population.