The shifts in intergenerational relations in Cameroon and their potential impact on the health of older adults.

INTRODUCTION: Africa is experiencing a gradual demographic shift due to rising life expectancy and increasing urbanisation. In sub-Saharan Africa, elderly individuals typically reside with their children. The rise in life expectancy by almost a decade and the prevalence of precarious living conditions raise concerns about the sustainability of the healthcare system, which has traditionally relied on intergenerational solidarity. METHODS: The research aims to analyse the evolving role of older adults in Cameroonian society and to examine the potential impact of this change on intergenerational relationships and the health of older adults. A qualitative methodology was employed, using intergenerational focus groups in Cameroon. RESULTS: Traditionally, older adults held a central role in knowledge transmission through discourse. However, the modernisation of society is challenging this position.The emergence of new technologies, particularly communication tools, is leading to a questioning of older adults' experiential knowledge. Societal changes are contributing to a decline in respect for older adults in discourse. Older adults deplore these societal changes and fear for their place in society while young people are questioning the central role of older people in society. DISCUSSION: These changes could reduce the sense of usefulness of older people, with negative consequences for their health. Several studies have highlighted the impacts of ageism on the health of older adults in industrialised countries. However, there are little data on the impact of the marginalisation of older adults on their health in industrialising societies. Further research is needed to study the impact on the health of older adults.

O perfil da sexualidade em mulheres com câncer de mama / The sexual profile of the breast cancer woman

Introdução: O câncer de mama é a neoplasia maligna responsável por cerca de 20% dos óbitosentre as mulheres. Os tratamentos utilizados promovem, de modo geral, alterações na autoimagem,na imagem corporal, no autoconceito e na sexualidade feminina. Assim, objetivou-seavaliar a presença ou não de disfunções sexuais em mulheres com câncer de mama submetidas àmastectomia radical. Métodos: Foram avaliadas, pelo período de um ano, 52 mulheres entre 50e 60 anos de idade, divididas em dois grupos: controle, composto por 37 mulheres com tumoresbenignos de mama e 15 submetidas à mastectomia radical, utilizando o Watts Sexual FunctionQuestionnaire (WSFQ), que avalia os quatro componentes da experiência sexual, incluindo aspercepções sobre desejo sexual, interesse, orgasmo e satisfação, específico para avaliar a sexualidadeem sujeitos com patologias clínicas, previamente aplicado na população brasileira1,2. A essequestionário foram acrescidas questões qualitativas visando a avaliação e a observação das reaçõesdas pacientes diante do diagnóstico cirúrgico e das possíveis alterações advindas da mastectomiaradical na auto-estima, no humor, na capacidade de planejar o futuro e na manutenção do relacionamentoafetivo-sexual. Testes estatísticos para medidas repetidas, análise de correlação entrevariáveis e análise exploratória de dados multidimensionais estão entre as técnicas utilizadas paraavaliar o conjunto de dados. Resultados: As principais variações detectadas ao longo do tempo foram:o desejo sexual, no grupo-controle, e a excitação, no grupo submetido à mastectomia radical.Avaliando-se o impacto do tempo, considerando-se comparativamente os dois grupos, observou-sepiora no desejo das pacientes pertencentes ao grupo-controle comparado ao grupo de mastectomiaradical. Conclusão: A presença de disfunções sexuais em ambos os grupos estavam relacionadas àsmudanças na auto-estima, na auto-imagem, na imagem corporal e no self feminino.

Background: Breast cancer is a malignant neoplasia responsible approximately for 20% of deaths amongwomen. In general, treatments used promote alterations in self-image, in body image, in self-awareness,and in female sexuality. So we aim to evaluate the presence or not of sexual dysfunctions in women withbreast cancer submitted to radical mastectomy. Methods: for a period of one year, 52 women between50 and 60 years old were evaluated, divided in two groups: control group, composed by 37 women withbenign breast tumors, and a second group of 15 submitted to radical mastectomy, both using the WattsSexual Function Questionnaire (WSFQ), that evaluates four components of sexual experience, includingthe perceptions about sexual desire, interest, orgasm, and satisfaction, specific for evaluating sexuality insubjects with clinical pathologies, previously applied in the Brazilian population1,2. To this questionnairewere added qualitative questions with the purpose of evaluating and observing patients’ reactions facing the surgical diagnosis and the possible resulting alterations of radical mastectomy in self-esteem, in mood,in the capacity of planning their future, and in the maintenance of the affective-sexual relationships. Statisticaltests for repeated measures, analysis of correlation among variables and analysis of multidimensionalexploratory data are between the techniques used to evaluate the data. Results: The main variationsdetected along this period of time, were sexual desire, in the control group, and excitement in the groupsubmitted to the radical mastectomy. Evaluating the impact of the time, considering comparatively bothgroups, there was a worsening in the desire in control group patients when compared to the radical mastectomygroup. Conclusion: the presence of sexual dysfunction in both groups was related to changes inself-esteem, self-image, body-image, and in the feeling of femininity.