Quality of Life of Elderly and monitoring of diabetes mellitus in the context of the Family Health Strategy

• Grant number: 10/16142-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2010
• End date: November 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Lislaine Aparecida Fracolli
• Grantee: Katherine Chang
• Host Institution: Escola de Enfermagem (EE). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The significant increase of the elderly in Brazil brings with it the challenge of maintaining quality of life while living with the diseases of old age such as diabetes mellitus (DM). The complications in old age, when unmonitored and not properly monitored, can lead to significant changes in quality of life (QOL) of elderly. Therefore, assessment of QOL of the elderly has taken on particular importance because it can be used as a parameter for evaluating the effectiveness and commitment of health for this public. The assessment of QOL may be useful also to propose measures to achieve successful aging and respond to the health needs of the elderly. This study aims to evaluate the QOL of elderly patients with Diabetes Mellitus type 2. This is a qualitative, descriptive, case study, which will use the WHOQOL-OLD and the WHOQOL-BREF for evaluating the QOL of the elderly. For this study, will be interviewed about 100 seniors who have a diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus type 2 and are subscribers in the Program of Capillary Glucose Self-Monitoring in the Family Health Strategy. The place where the data will be collected is a Health Unit in São Paulo that has four health professionals teams. The data will be collected through interviews and organized with the help of Microsoft Office Excel 2007. The analysis to be performed will seek to describe the epidemiologic and social profiles, as well as the scores for the different areas that make up the overall QOL scores of individuals and the specific facets that compose the QOL of the elderly. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the identification of the most valued aspects by older people to assure their quality of life.Keywords: Aging, Health of the Elderly, Health Promotion, Quality of Life, Diabetes Mellitus; Family Health Program.