Health self-care practices among community older adults with morbidity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives: to describe sociodemographic and health characteristics of older adults with morbidity, identify self-care practices and verify the association of sociodemographic variables with those related to health and self-care practices. Methods: a quantitative, analytical and cross-sectional household survey, developed in the urban area in the countryside of Minas Gerais, from 2017 to 2018. A total of 796 older adults were assessed using validated instruments, such as Geriatric Depression Scale: short form, Brazilian Questionnaire for Functional and Multidimensional Assessment, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Instrument for Assessing Attitude Towards Taking Medications. Multiple logistic regression (p<0.05) was used. Results: negative self-perceived health was associated with low income and education. As for self-care in health, being physically active associated with the age group 60 |-| 79 years and higher education. Conclusions: sociodemographic variables such as sex, age group, income, education, marital status, housing arrangement were related to health status and self-care practice.