Discapacidad en personas mayores / Disability in Older People

Introducción: El envejecimiento en Cuba constituye un problema demográfico y, desde una perspectiva individual, generalmente se acompaña de enfermedades que deterioran la funcionalidad; esto condiciona la discapacidad en las personas mayores. Objetivo: Identificar la prevalencia de discapacidad y las enfermedades que padecen los adultos mayores. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio piloto en 40 personas mayores del área de salud José Trujillo; del municipio Mariel. Se aplicó el instrumento WHODAS 2.0 para medir la discapacidad y se identificaron las enfermedades en las historias clínicas. Se resumió la información en porcentajes. Resultados: De las personas mayores estudiadas, 75 por ciento estaban discapacitadas con niveles entre ligero y moderado (27 y 25 por ciento respectivamente), con mayor frecuencia en mujeres y en edades avanzadas. Las dimensiones más afectadas fueron la comprensión y comunicación y la participación en sociedad. Las enfermedades principales fueron las cardiovasculares y las mentales (40 por ciento y 23,3 por ciento respectivamente). Conclusiones: La magnitud de la discapacidad fue importante en las personas estudiadas, las dimensiones más afectadas fueron la comprensión y comunicación, las actividades de la vida diaria y la participación en sociedad. Las enfermedades cardiovasculares fueron las más frecuentes, pero las enfermedades mentales fueron las que se relacionaron con niveles graves de discapacidad(AU)

Introduction: Aging in Cuba is a demographic problem and, from an individual perspective, it is generally accompanied by diseases that affect functionality. This brings about disability in older people. Objective: To identify the prevalence of disability and diseases suffered by older adults. Methods: A pilot study was carried out with forty elderly people from José Trujillo health area of ​​ Mariel Municipality. The WHODAS 2.0 instrument was applied to measure disability. Their diseases were identified in the medical records. Information was summarized in percentages. Results: Of the older people studied, 75 percent were disabled with levels between light and moderate (27 percent and 25 percent, respectively), with more frequency in women and in advanced ages. The most affected dimensions were understanding and communication, as well as participation in society. The main diseases were cardiovascular and mental (40 percent and 23.3 percent, respectively). Conclusions: The disability magnitude was important in the people studied. The most affected dimensions were understanding and communication, activities of daily living and participation in society. Cardiovascular diseases were the most frequent, but mental illnesses were those associated with severe levels of disability(AU)

A mudança de modelo assistencial de cuidado ao idoso na Saúde Suplementar: identificação de seus pontos-chave e obstáculos para implementação / The change of care model to elderly care in Supplementary Health: identification of its key points and obstacles to implementation

Resumo A partir de uma análise crítica sobre os atuais modelos de atenção à saúde para idosos, este artigo apresenta uma proposta de linha do cuidado para este segmento etário, tendo como foco a promoção e a prevenção da saúde, de modo a evitar a sobrecarga do sistema de saúde. Enfatiza-se o setor suplementar, pois como um quarto da população utiliza este sistema, uma discussão mais minuciosa se faz necessária. O conhecimento científico já identificou corretamente os fatores de risco para a população idosa, mas isso não basta. É prioritário utilizar esse conhecimento para efetuar a necessária transição do modelo assistencial clínico para o preventivo. Este precisa se configurar como um fluxo de ações de educação, promoção da saúde, prevenção de doenças evitáveis, postergação de moléstias, cuidado precoce e reabilitação de agravos. Não se nega a importância das instâncias pesadas (hospital, instituições de longa permanência, entre outras), mas estamos particularmente preocupados com uma abordagem contemporânea, que cuide de forma adequada o idoso e diminua custos. Se não for deste modo, o sistema se torna inviável.

Abstract From a critical analysis of current models of health care for the elderly, this article proposes a care line for this age group, focusing on the promotion and health prevention in order to avoid overloading the health system. It emphasizes the supplementary sector, since a quarter of the population uses this system, a more thorough discussion is needed. Scientific knowledge has correctly identified the risk factors for the elderly, but this is not enough. It is a priority to use this knowledge to make the necessary transition from the clinical care to preventive model. This needs to be configured as a stream of education initiatives, health promotion, prevention of preventable diseases, postponement of diseases, early care and rehabilitation of injuries. There is no denying the importance of heavy bodies (hospital, long-term care facilities, etc.), but we are particularly concerned about an approach that improves the quality of life and decrease costs. If not so, the system becomes impractical.

Cumplimiento terapéutico en pacientes con enfermedades crónicas / Adherence to treatment by patients with chronic diseases

Objetivo: determinar el cumplimiento del tratamiento farmacológico en pacientes ambulatorios con enfermedades crónicas. Métodos: estudio observacional, prospectivo, transversal en pacientes con hipertensión, diabéticos tipo II y dislipémicos a quienes se les realizó el test de Morisky Green. Resultados: el 38 por ciento de los pacientes manifestóconductas de incumplimiento del tratamiento, con prevalencia de los hipertensos; seguidos de las mujeres y de los que usan más de un fármaco en la terapéutica. Conclusión: los pacientes manifestaron como principal causa de no adherencia las socioeconómicas(AU)

Objective: to determine the compliance with the drug treatment of outpatients with chronic diseases. Methods: observational, prospective, cross-sectional patients with hypertension, type II diabetes and dyslipidemia, who underwent the Morisky Green test. Results: in this group, 38 percent of patients do not adhere to treatment, with prevalence of hypertensive patients, women, and those who use more than one drug in their therapy. Conclusions: The patients reported socio-economic reasons as the main cause of non-adherence to treatment(AU)

Medicina y estrés: antecedentes históricos y evidencias científicas / Medicine and stress: historic antecedents and scientific evidence

El estrés puede alterar la capacidad inmunológica de una persona, ya sea a través de neurotransmisores o a través de hormonas. El cambio hormonal que se produce como consecuencia del estrés afectará el desarrollo de cualquier enfermedad. Esto implica que el médico no debe considerar al paciente sólo como portador de una enfermedad sino también como un ser sufriente tanto física como emocionalmente, teniendo en cuenta que esas emociones pueden modificar el curso de su enfermedad. En este trabajo pretendemos llamar la atención sobre un tema que, si bien suele estar presente en el pensamiento médico, no siempre lo está como conocimiento fundamentado. Comenzamos con una breve referencia histórica y describimos las evidencias científicas que avalan la relación que nos ocupa.

Stress can alter a person's immune capacity, eíther through neurotransmitters or through hormones. Hormonal change that occurs as a results of stress affects the development of any disease. This implies that the physician should consider the patient not only as a carrier of a disease but also a suffering being, both physically and emotionally, bearing in mind that these emotions can alter the course of the disease. In this paper, we draw attention to an issue that, while often present in medical thinking, is not always as knowledge based. We begin with a brief historical reference and describe the scientific evidence that supports the relationship in question.