THE SOCIAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROFILE OF ELDERLY PERSONS ASSISTED BY THE FAMILY HEALTH STRATEGY

A transverse study which describes the social and functional profile of elderly persons assisted by the Family Health Strategy in Dourados in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Information was obtained by home interviews using the Functional Independence Measure, the Mini Mental State Evaluation and the Geriatric Depression Scale. 503 elderly persons were interviewed; there was a predominance of women (69%), illiterates (53%), and of persons with low income per capita (82.5%). It stood out that 7.6% of the elderly interviewees presented some degree of dependence, 34.4% symptoms of depression, and 42.7% cognitive deficit. 50.9% evaluated their health as normal. It was observed that the elderly women presented a greater degree of cognitive disturbance, whereas the men were more dependent in respect of functionality. Cognitive deficit was significantly associated with the variables of sex, educational level, age range, housing status and whether the person lived accompanied. The elderly persons with symptoms of depression were more likely to present low income, to live in precarious housing, neither to practise physical activity nor participate in social activities, and to evaluate their health as bad.