Sociodemographic profile and self-referred health conditions of the elderly in a city of Southern Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between gender and age groups and socioeconomic and health variables among older adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out in the a city in Southern Brazil, in 2004. Elderly over 60 years of age (N= 292) were selected through two-stage probabilistic sampling. Data from socioeconomic and demographic variables were collected through household survey. Health conditions were self-referred. Descriptive statistics, and Pearson's Chi-square test with linear-by-linear association model were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Among the elderly, 67.8% were female, 84% were between 60 to 79 years and 81% considered themselves healthy. Compared to men, women were more likely to live alone (p=0.046), have no partner (p<0.001), be less educated (p=0.021), report more health conditions (p=0,003), use more medications (p=0.016), exercise less (p=0.015), be more dependent to perform activities of daily living (p<0.001), receive lower pension benefits (p<0,001), have less paid jobs (p=0.002). But women perceived themselves as having more social support (p=0.023), consumed less alcohol (p=0.003) and were not smokers (p<0.001). Those with more advanced age were less educated (p<0.001), had poorer economic conditions (p=0.004), received lower pension benefits (p<0,001), were less likely have a partner (p<0.001) and were more dependent to perform activities of daily living (p<0.001) but perceived themselves with more social support (p=0.014) and were not smokers (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Differences between gender and age group were evidenced and they were more marked among women and those with more advanced age.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a associação entre sexo e grupo etário com variáveis socioeconômicas e de saúde dos idosos. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado no Distrito Noroeste de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, em 2004. Foram estudados indivíduos acima de 60 anos (N=292), selecionados por amostra probabilística em dois estágios. Os dados de variáveis socioeconômicas e demográficas foram coletados por inquérito domiciliar. As condições de saúde foram auto-referidas. Foram realizadas análises descritivas, de qui-quadrado de Pearson e tendência linear. RESULTADOS: Entre os idosos, 67,8% eram do sexo feminino, 84% encontravam-se na faixa dos 60 aos 79 anos, 81% consideravam-se saudáveis. Em comparação com os homens, as mulheres moravam mais sozinhas (p=0,046), sem companheiro (p<0,001), tinham menor escolaridade (p=0,021); relatavam mais problemas de saúde (p=0,003) e uso de medicação sistemática (p=0,016); realizavam menos atividades físicas (p=0,015) e eram mais dependentes nas atividades de vida diária (p<0,001), recebiam menos aposentadoria (p<0,001), exerciam menos atividades remuneradas (p=0,002), mas se percebiam mais apoiadas pela rede social informal (p=0,023), consumiam menos bebidas alcoólicas (p=0,003) e não eram fumantes (p<0,001). Os mais idosos tinham menor escolaridade (p<0,001), piores condições econômicas (p=0,004), recebiam menos aposentadoria (p<0,001), não tinham companheiro (p<0,001), eram mais dependentes nas atividades de vida diária (p<0,001), mas se percebiam mais apoiados pela rede social informal (p=0,014) e não eram fumantes (p