Effectiveness of two actions of health promotion - cognitive stimulation in presence and at distance - in maintaining cognitive and functional capacity of elderly from a population cohort assisted in Primary Health Care (PHC)

• Grant number: 14/50084-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research in Public Policies for the National Health Care System (PP-SUS)
• Start date: July 01, 2014
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Epidemiology
• Agreement: CNPq - PPSUS
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Roberto Ramos
• Grantee: Luiz Roberto Ramos
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Population aging and the consequent emergence of NCDs provided a new paradigm in health, in which we can not aim for the cure but control of the progression of these diseases, primarily aimed at maintaining functional capacity, understood as the ability to maintain an independent and autonomous life in the community. The loss of independence in activities of daily living and cognitive losses are two independent and potentially avoidable factors that increase the risk of death in the elderly. In this context, the actions of health promotion become one of the main weapons to try to prevent or minimize the functional losses of seniors. The Ministry of Health, in its policy of management of NCDs emphasizes the need to promote healthy lifestyles and control of the various factors that may compromise the health of the elderly. Several actions to promote health has been developed at the PHC, understood as the first level of care in the national, regional and local health systems. However little is Known about their effectiveness in the prevention of functional loss and consequently, in the prevention of early mortality or institutionalization of the elderly. The defining characteristics of PHC, especially universal access, continuity of care, comprehensiveness and coordination correspond to the health needs of the elderly, especially those suffering from NCDs. Thus, the testing and implementation of interventions, and effective services to promote the health of elderly at PHC is a key to improving this kind of attention strategy, and cover a large number of seniors and their families… (AU)