ABSTRACT
Objetivo: explorar la situación biopsicosocial del adulto mayor en una población del municipio Arroyo Naranjo. Métodos: estudio de tipo observacional, descriptivo longitudinal y prospectivo. El instrumento utilizado fue una encuesta original elaborada por los autores y validada por un comité de expertos, representados por psicólogos, y geriatras y que se les aplicó a 400 personas mayores de 60 años entre enero y diciembre de 2007. Se confeccionó una base de datos con la información de las entrevistas y se obtuvieron los porcentajes de las variables seleccionadas. Resultados: el 88,2 porciento (353 abuelos) de los encuestados padecían al menos de una enfermedad crónica. Se sintieron maltratados en el consultorio del médico y enfermera de la familia, los policlínicos, las clínicas estomatológicas y hospitales, en un 14,7, 9,2, 11,5 y 9,5 porciento respectivamente. El 19,8 porciento de los adultos mayores considera que sus familiares no le brindan el apoyo que necesitan. El 44,2 porciento representado por 177 ancianos de los tres grupos, plantea que sí existe discriminación con el adulto mayor. Conclusiones: la asistencia médica es buena, pero en un pequeño porcentaje no fue la mejor, se violaron los principios de beneficencia, no maleficencia, justicia y autonomía. Los círculos de abuelos y la casa de abuelos, ayudan al adulto mayor a mantenerse integrado a la sociedad
Objective: to assess the biological, psychological and social situation of the older people in a population living in Arroyo Naranjo municipality. Methods: prospective, observational and descriptive study was conducted in which an original survey prepared by the authors of the paper and validated by an expert committee of psychologists and geriatricians was used. Four hundred people over 60 years were surveyed from January to December, 2007. They were divided in three groups based on their participation in the grandparent's clubs, the homes for grandparents and those not involved in neither of the former. Data from the interviews were included in a database and the percentages of the selected variables were estimated. Results: of the participants, 88.2 percent (353 grandparents) suffered at least one chronic disease. They felt ill-treated in the family physician's office, in the polyclinics, at the dental clinics and at hospitals in 14.7 percent, 9.2 percent, 11.5 percent and 9.5 percent of the sample, respectively. In this study, 19.8 percent of the older people believed that their families did not support them as they should. One hundred seventy seven of the participants, who accounted for 44.2 percent of the total number, stated that the elderly are discriminated. Conclusions: medical assistance is good; however it was not the best in a small percentage of cases, since the principles of benefaction, non-malefaction, justice and autonomy were not respected. The grandparents' clubs and the homes for grandparents do help the older people to remain integrated to the society