Características de saúde da população idosa de Maceió e sua associação com o acesso à atenção primária e à saúde suplementar

Abstract

The present study aims to analyze the epidemiological profile and associations between health characteristics and access to health services in the elderly population of Maceió. This is an observational, analytical, descriptive, population-based cross-sectional study that included 320 elderly individuals. Sociodemographic and economic data were collected, as well as current and past health conditions, whether or not they have health insurance, ESF coverage, lifestyle, and nutritional status. Statistical analysis was performed using Jamovi statistical software version 2.3, and cross-tabulations were performed using Fisher's exact test to verify associations between groups and Bonferroni's test to verify in which stratum significance is found in those non dichotomous variables. It was found that only 17.8% lived in territory covered by ESF and only 36.4% had health insurance. A high prevalence of overweight (54.4%) and physical inactivity (76.7%) was observed. When comparing health access variables, there was a higher prevalence of elderly people who were underweight (7.1% vs. 16.8%; p=0.02), had metabolic syndrome (13.9% vs. 27.9%; p=0.02), and had inadequate CP (30% vs. 44.6%; p=0.017) who did not have health insurance. The same associations were not statistically significant for FHS coverage, as well as the other variables. It was concluded that having health insurance was associated with more favorable health conditions, while FHS coverage did not show a significant impact on the outcomes evaluated. The findings reinforce the importance of strengthening primary care and reducing inequalities in access, in addition to pointing to the need for new longitudinal and qualitative studies that deepen the understanding of the factors associated with healthy aging of the elderly population in contexts marked by socioeconomic vulnerabilities.