Health services use among elderly people living in the community

作者：Pilger Caliope^*; Menon Mario Umberto; de Freitas Mathias Thais Aidar

来源：Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP, 2013, 47(1): 209-216.

• Aged Population
• Health Services
• Dental Care for the Aged Population
• Epidemiology
• Geriatric Nursing

The objective of this study was to analyze the patterns in health service use among elder patients who sought public health services in Guarapuava, Parana, Brazil. Home interviews were conducted with 359 aged individuals, who were selected using stratified proportional sampling. The interviews were conducted from January 2010 to April 2010 at the homes of the participants using sections I and III of the Brazil Old Age Schedule (BOAS). An association analysis was performed using the chi(2) test. The health services that were used the most over the last three months were medical appointments (49.6%) and clinical exams (38.4%). Women used health services more often (p=0.0240) than men. Additionally, 55.6% of the participants reported not seeking dental care. The aged population represents a large component of health service users, and the public health network of the city must be organized according to the increasing demand for therapeutic diagnostic procedures.

• 出版日期2013-2