RESUMEN
ABSTRACT Objective: to know the social and health responses for the elderly in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: An integrative literature review. Results: There is a lack of specialized health care to meet the real needs of the elderly, and the shortage of health professionals does not contribute favorably to this situation. There is a small number of facilities for the elderly and most of them are inadequate. Although there are models of care as well as social and health support policies for the elderly, there are still inequities/inequalities in access to these policies, especially for the most disadvantaged populations. Conclusion: Social and health policies for the elderly in Sub-Saharan Africa are below standard and appropriate economic, political and social intervention is required.
RESUMEN Objetivo: conocer las respuestas sociales y de salud para los ancianos en África subsahariana. Métodos: repaso integrador de la literatura. Resultados: hay falta de cuidados de salud especializados y enfocados a las reales necesidades de los ancianos, siendo que la escasez de profesionales de salud no contribuye favorablemente para esta situación. Se observa baja oferta de infraestructura destinadas a los ancianos y la mayoría de ellas son de bajo nivel. Aunque haya modelos de atención, así como políticas de apoyo social y de salud para las personas mayores, aún hay iniquidades/desigualdades en el acceso a ellas, sobre todo para las poblaciones más desfavorecidas. Conclusión: las políticas sociales y de salud para las personas mayores en el África subsahariana están por debajo de sus necesidades, siendo necesario garantizar una intervención económica, política y social adecuada.
RESUMO Objetivo: Conhecer as respostas sociais e de saúde para os idosos na África Subsaariana. Métodos: Revisão integrativa da literatura. Resultados: Há falta de cuidados de saúde especializados e direcionados às reais necessidades dos idosos, sendo que a escassez de profissionais de saúde não contribui favoravelmente para essa situação. Verifica-se baixa oferta de instalações destinadas aos idosos, e a maioria delas são básicas. Apesar de existirem modelos de cuidados para os idosos e políticas de apoio social e de saúde, ainda há iniquidades/desigualdades no acesso a elas, sobretudo para as populações mais desfavorecidas. Conclusão: As políticas sociais e de saúde para os idosos na África Subsaariana estão aquém das necessidades, sendo preciso garantir uma intervenção econômica, política e social adequada.
RESUMEN
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: While the global prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing, this pandemic has received less attention in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the light of the persistent undernutrition that exists in the context of maternal and child health. We aimed to describe obesity trends among women of childbearing age over recent decades, along with trends in over and undernutrition among children under five years of age, in sub-Saharan African countries. DESIGN AND SETTING: Ecological study with temporal trend analysis in 13 sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS: This was a description of temporal trends in nutritional status: adult obesity, childhood overweight, low height-for-age (stunting), low weight-for-height (wasting), low weight-for-age (underweight) and low birth weight. Publicly available data from repeated cross-sectional national surveys (demographic and health surveys and multiple-indicator cluster surveys) were used. We chose 13 sub-Saharan African countries from which at least four surveys conducted since 1993 were available. We investigated women aged 15-49 years and children under five years of age. RESULTS: In multilevel linear models, the prevalence of obesity increased by an estimated 6 percentage points over 20 years among women of childbearing age, while the prevalence of overweight among children under 5 years old was stable. A major decrease in stunting and, to a lesser extent, wasting accompanied these findings. CONCLUSIONS: The upward trend in obesity among women of childbearing age in the context of highly prevalent childhood undernutrition suggests that the focus of maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa needs to be expanded to consider not only nutritional deficiencies but also nutritional excess.