Saúde e autopercepção de saúde de Agentes Comunitários de Saúde de Vitória-ES

Abstract

In 2018 and 2019, a census of the health profile and self-perception of health of Community Health Agents (CHA) in the municipality of Vitória (ES) was conducted, as part of the project entitled "Impact of The Training of Community Health Agents in Food Education" – Cacea. Self-perceived health has been evaluated in different population groups and has a close relationship with morbidity and mortality indicators. However, there are few studies that assess self-perceived health in CHA and related factors, which is the objective of this study. The study included 258 CHA, who were interviewed and submitted to biochemical and clinical tests. Sociodemographic, behavioral and frequent morbidities variables were evaluated. Statistical analysis used Fischer's χ2 and exact tests to assess the difference in the prevalence of self-perceived health and Poisson regression models, adjusted for age, to estimate prevalence ratios (PR). Among the study participants, 94.2% were female, with a mean age of 46.0±9.3 years. In relation to the perception of health, 16.7% evaluated it as very good, 52.7% as good, 26.0% as regular, and 2.7% and 1.9% of cha perceived their health as bad and very bad, respectively. Morbidity prevalences ranged from 17% for diabetes mellitus (DM) to 72.9% for overweight. Sedentary lifestyle (PR = 2.27 [95% CI: 1.20 - 4.29]), overweight (PR = 2.50 [95% CI: 1.42 - 4.41]) were associated with negative self-perception of health, overweight (PR = 2.50 [95% CI: 1.42 - 4.41]), abdominal obesity (PR = 1.89 [95% CI: 1.28 – 2.80]), DM (PR = 1.64 [95% CI: 1.11 - 2.43]), hypercholesterolemia (PR = 1.46 [95% CI: 0.98 – 2.18]), metabolic syndrome (PR = 1.45 [95% CI: 1.01 - 2.11]), depressive symptoms (PR = 1.80 [95% CI: 1.27 - 2.54]) and have multiple morbidities (PR = 4.68 [95% CI: 1.61 - 13.54]). Despite the high prevalence of morbidities and their association with self-perceived health, few CHA rate their health as poor. The implementation of interventions, focusing on healthy eating, physical activity and self-care, can positively impact the health of this worker, as well as on the community assisted by him.