AVALIAÇÃO DA QUALIDADE DE VIDA DE INDIVÍDUOS IDOSOS RESIDENTES NO MUNICÍPIO DE PARAGUAÇU / MG ATRAVÉS DO INSTRUMENTO WHOQOL-OLD

Abstract

It is evident that the increase of the population aging directs the elaboration of educative actions and assistance to the health of the elderly, in order to favor the improvement of the Quality of Life (QV) of said population. It is considered that the data collected from the information register on the Quality of Life in the elderly can guide the elaboration of practices of complete and multiprofessional attention in the health of the elderly. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the quality of life of elderly residents in the city of Paraguaçu / MG, by applying the WHOQO-OLD questionnaire. 40 volunteers of both genders, aged at least 60 years, participated in the study. The analysis of the characterization of the subjects was combined with the quality of life data through the WHOQOL-OLD instrument, with a comparison between the male and female genders. As a result of the evaluation of the perception of quality of life, it can be observed that the elderly of this research obtained a positive evaluation about this variable, not having a statistically significant difference between the genders. It is concluded that the use of validated, low-cost and easy-to-implement instruments in the assessment of elderly QoL is of fundamental importance in order to direct the elaboration of policies in the health care of the elderly. It is suggested to continue studies on the development of new, and / or improvement of the current instruments to evaluate QoL in the third age, through the participation of a complete multiprofessional team in the construction of these. Within this context, physiotherapy plays a prominent role.