Efeito da Covid-19 sobre as condições de saúde de idosos institucionalizados em Maceió

Abstract

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) affects anyone in any age group, however, studies indicate that the elderly and people with comorbidities are the segments at greatest risk for the development of severe forms of the disease. This dissertation aims to evaluate the impact of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health conditions of institutionalized elderly in Maceió-AL, as well as the frequency of contamination and the lethality rate in this population group. Prospective cohort study, carried out from April 2020 to December 2020, with elderly people living in Long Stay Institutions for the Elderly (ILPI) in MaceióAL. The sample consisted of 289 elderly people of both sexes, aged 60 years or older. Sociodemographic variables, clinical history of preexisting diseases and diagnosis of COVID-19 were collected. Data collection was performed in two moments and the test for COVID-19 was performed with all the elderly in the two evaluations, regardless of the presence of symptoms. Anthropometric variables were also collected. Then, blood samples were collected from the elderly for blood count, leukogram, fasting glucose, urea and creatinine tests. the sample was composed of 289 elderly individuals. Of the total, 98 (33.7%) were positive for COVID-19 and eight died (2.8%). Men were more likely to have COVID-19 (OR = 3.44; p < 0.01). It was observed that the disease contributed to the increase in the frequency of dependent elderly after six months (OR = 1.38; p-interaction <0.01). It was also observed that after six months of positive diagnosis for COVID19 there was greater weight loss (p < 0.01), reduced BMI (p < 0.01), increased mean SBP (p = 0.04) and DBP (p = 0.03). In this scenario, the consequences of COVID-19 go beyond the acute complications associated with the disease, which can also compromise the health of this population in the long term.