Triagem Para Vulnerabilidade Em Pessoas Idosas Na Comunidade

Abstract

Introduction: Increased life expectancy brings challenges to healthy aging, such as vulnerability to chronic noncommunicable diseases and polypharmacy, which can reduce the functionality of the elderly. The Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) is one of the currently available and widely used tools for screening clinical-functional vulnerability. Methodology: This quantitative, cross-sectional study screened for vulnerability in elderly individuals enrolled in UnAPI, an institutional university extension program of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, by applying the mirror form of the elderly health booklet and the VES-13 questionnaire. The data were analyzed descriptively and stored digitally. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, through opinion 6,781,591. Results: Sixty elderly individuals with a mean age of 69.9 (±6.9) years participated in the study. Of the total, 39 (65.0%) were female, 50 (83.3%) were retired, 45 (75%) had some physical limitation, 38 (63.3%) reported falls in the last year and 42 (70.0%) reported chronic pain. Based on the VES-13 results, 28 (46.6%) participants were classified as at risk of vulnerability and 7 (11.6%) as vulnerable. Conclusion: The results showed that the majority of elderly individuals participating in this study were at risk of clinical-functional vulnerability or were vulnerable, which suggests the relevance and potential contribution of programs such as UnAPI/UFMS in promoting healthy aging, preventing and assisting in the identification and management of functional decline outside of health services.