Caracterização e qualidade de vida de idosos em uma unidade de diálise renal: desafios para a gestão pública em saúde

Abstract

Objective: To characterize the quality of life of the elderly in a kidney dialysis unit, pointing out the challenges for public health management. Methods: The research is quantitative, analytical, descriptive, cross-sectional, population aging is involved with more than 60 years of female or male who underwent hemodialysis in the period January-March 2010 in that clinical nephrology. The analyzed variables were: socio demographic (age, gender, marital status and education); complications during hemodialysis (cramps, hypertension, weakness, hypotension, weight loss, itching, headache, anemia, pain, constipation, cardiac arrhythmia, weight gain, recurrent infections); lifestyle (physical and leisure activity) and the average quality of life (QOL) (physical functioning, physical role, bodily pain, general health, emotional well-being, emotional function, social function, energy / fatigue, list of problems / symptoms, effects of kidney disease, burden of kidney disease, work status, cognitive function, quality of social interaction, sexual function, sleep, social support, dialysis staff encouragement) evaluated with the instrument kidney disease and quality of Live- Short Form (KDQOL-SFTM). Results: There were 10 seniors, with the majority of the elderly on hemodialysis are men, predominantly aged between 60-69 years old, married, with incomplete primary education and retirees whose income comes from retirement. The duration of hemodialysis ranged from 1 to 16 years, the main events were reported cramps and hypertension, half doing physical exercises, 20% receive assistance for activities of daily living and 40% are leisure activities. The application of the instrument KDQOL-SFTM, brings the average and median with low values in which compromise QOL, the size of the stimulus by dialysis staff of cognitive function, emotional function, the list of problems and symptoms and the quality of social interaction are dimensions that patients are more satisfied. Conclusion: On the profile of older people in the study who are married, low income and education means that public health management is a major challenge with aging, among them, empowering professionals with excellence, managing inclusive policies, emphasizing the elderly providing adequate support to obtain a better QOL.