Qualidade de vida e depressão em idosos de comunidade, em uma cidade de médio porte do interior do nordeste brasileiro.

Abstract

In this sense, this study aimed to analyze the prevalence of depressive symptoms and Quality of Life in community-dwelling elderly in a medium-sized city in northeastern Brazil. This was a cross-sectional study, whose collection took place between the years 2017 and 2018. The study included 316 elderly people, randomly selected, aged 60 years or older, who lived in urban households (non-institutionalized) covered by a family health unit (USF). Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate statistics were performed, using a 95% CI. Depression prevalence was 37.6% among participants, and 47.5% rated their quality of life as good. The elderly without a partner (p=0.036), who consumed alcoholic beverages (p=0.035), practiced physical activity (p=0.010), without morbidities (p=0.034), without depressive symptoms (p=0.000), in food security (p=0.009) and satisfied with health (p=0.010)had better QL averages. The Social Relations dimension obtained the best average (𝑥̅ = 75.0), and the Environment the worst (𝑥̅= 61.2). Not having depressive symptoms (OR=5.3; 95%CI 2.218- 8.426) and being satisfied with one's health (OR=23.1; 95%CI 20.040-26.163) increase the chances of having a good QoL. It was also identified that poor Quality of Life (OR 2.769; 95%CI 1.173-6.538), illiteracy (OR 3.564; 95%CI 2.013-6.312), the presence of cognitive decline (OR 2.704; 95%CI 1.369-5.341) and food insecurity (OR 2.379; 95%CI 1.348-4.264) are predictors of depressive symptoms. Mental health is related to the Social Determinants of Health, and therefore, elderly people who enjoy better living conditions and access to services have better QoL and fewer depressive symptoms.