Objectives:
To verify the prevalence of a low quality of life and analyze the morbidities associated with such a condition among elderly persons registered with the Family Health Strategy of the municipality of Senador Guiomard.
Method
: A cross-sectional study was performed of elderly persons registered with the Family Health Strategy in the urban area of the municipality of Senador Guiomard in the state of Acre. A comparison between men and women regarding morbidities and quality of life was performed using Pearson's chi-squared test. The associations between the tertiles of quality of life and morbidities were estimated by odds ratio through multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Results
: There were differences between men and women in the reporting of hypertension (p=0.015), diabetes (p=0.033), in the psychological domain (p=0.009) and in total quality of life (<0.001). Elderly people classified in the lower tertile of the physical and social domains of quality of life were more likely to suffer from hypertension, cardiovascular disorders and anemia. Those in the lower tertile of the psychological domain were also more likely to suffer from hypertension, cardiovascular disorders and insomnia, as well as anemia. Elderly individuals in the lower overall tertile were more likely to suffer from hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, insomnia and anemia. No statistically significant associations were found for the environmental domain.
Conclusion
: The total quality of life and the physical, psychological and social domains of quality of life can be considered good indicators of the described morbidities among the elderly. The environmental domain, however, was not a useful indicator.
Morbidity; Quality of Life; Elderly