Idosos do Estado da Paraíba: um estudo comparativo da morbimortalidade entre homens e mulheres.

Abstract

Aging is a global phenomenon that has been much discussed in the last decade and its rapid process observed in developing countries like Brazil, has not been sufficiently studied to provide the elements necessary to develop appropriate policies for this population. The demographic transition brings with it changes in age structure and survival patterns of citizens. In Brazil and other parts of the world, in parallel with this transition, because of advances in medicine, there has been an increase in life expectancy and longevity of the elderly. This combination causes changes in the pattern of morbidity and mortality which can be measured by simple measures. This study aimed to identify and compare the main causes of morbidity and mortality among men and women aged 60 or older living in the state of Paraiba. We conducted a descriptive exploratory study with a quantitative approach, using secondary data available in DATASUS found on the website of the Ministry of Health, according to the Information System (SIM / SUS), the Hospital System (SIH / SUS) and demographic data according to IBGE. Identified the Ischemic Heart Disease, followed by Cerebrovascular Disease and Diabetes Mellitus, with the highest mortality rates in the elderly. By comparing the leading causes of mortality between the sexes, men had higher risk for Cirrhosis and Chronic Liver diseases. Traffic Accidents and Lung Cancer (ratio equal to 5.5, 4 and 2, respectively). The women presented as the main causes of mortality Diabetes Mellitus, Pneumonia and Intestinal Infections (ratio equal to 1.5, 1.4 and 1.3, respectively). Among the most prevalent causes of morbidity, there are the Circulatory Diseases, Respiratory Diseases and Infectious Diseases. When comparing the causes of morbidity among men and women, the aforementioned diseases were the same above, highlighting the higher incidence in women, where the Circulatory presented (30% of hospital in men and 28% in women), Respiratory Diseases (17% in men and 18% in women) and the Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (11% in men and 15% in women). The results presented here show the main causes of morbidity and mortality among the elderly, these causes can be reduced with the adoption of wide promotion, prevention and timely treatment and appropriate for these diseases, pointing to a growing preoccupation with measures prevention for this age group. It is hoped that this study may contribute to the adoption of public policies aimed at reducing risks related to deaths and hospitalizations among the elderly.