Relação da solidão com comportamentos de saúde em idosos

Abstract

Introduction: The condition of loneliness, which is a deficit between the quality and the actual and desired quantity of relationships¹, is an increasingly common phenomenon in the contemporary society, affecting a large part of the population, especially the elderly. As humans are essentially social beings, it is predicted that this condition could have implications for the health of individuals. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of loneliness and its relationship with the health of elderly people attending Primary Health Care in Passo Fundo-RS. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study, whose sample comprised elderly people aged 60 years or over, of both sexes, attending Primary Health Care. The UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale (Version 3) and a questionnaire that included sociodemographic characterization and the general health status and lifestyle habits were used as assessment instruments. Results: Loneliness was related to a worse perception of health (45,4%), worse adherence to pharmacological treatment (64,1%) and severe insomnia (75%), in addition to impairing mental health by relating the highest prevalence of depression (54,1%) and suicidal ideation (55,6%).