Cláudia Jeane Lopes Pimenta

Quality of Life and Depressive Symptoms in the Elderly Living in Community

Introduction: the elderly are affected by some chronic diseases that require comprehensive and continuous health care, among them depression, with disabling potential, compromising their quality of life. Objective: discovering the quality of life of seniors residing in community and their relationship with the symptoms of depression. Method: a quantitative study, observational, cross-sectional, whose sample included 110 elderly with preserved cognitive conditions and who agreed to participate voluntarily. Data collection was conducted from October to December 2013. Statistical analysis was performed using the software Statiscal Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20. Results: the quality of life assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF obtained the highest score in the field of social relations (73.93) and lowest score in the environmental field (61.27). The WHOQOL-OLD showed a higher score in sensory abilities facet (76.19) and lowest score on the facet autonomy (61.47). The correlation of quality of life with depressive symptoms presented the psychological domain and facet social participation with strong and negative association. Conclusion: the development of longitudinal studies becomes feasible for a better understanding of the phenomenon studied.

Activities Offered to the Elderly in Primary Health Care: Social Representations of Elderly and Professionals

Introduction: in the SUS, the Family Health Strategy, considered by the Ministry of Health as the elderly users’ gateway, is designed to reorient the health care of the population, promoting the quality of life. Objective: recognizing the social representations built by the elderly and health professionals about the activities offered to seniors in Primary Health Care Health Care. Method: an exploratory study of a qualitative approach based on Theoretical contribution of Social Representations in its dimensional approach conducted with 257 elderly and 249 professionals in the Family Health Units in the city of Joao Pessoa/Paraiba/Brazil. The collected data were processed with the SPSS 20.0 software and Iramuteq 0.6 alpha 3. Results: the results showed three classes: Dimensions associated with activities offered to the elderly, represented by: necessary, excellent, quality, poor, deficient and insufficient; Service improvement perspectives: improving, service, poor, lack, attention; and Professional dimensions in senior care, consisting of: importance, professionals, promote, quality of life, well-being, self-esteem. Conclusion: it is expected that this study will contribute to the reflection about the quality of activities offered to seniors in primary health care services and serves as a improvement for changes needed in the current context of the health of the elderly.

Representações sociais de mulheres em situação de cárcere sobre a Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida

Objective: to understand the social representations of imprisoned women on Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Methods: qualitative study conducted with 32 women imprisoned in a rehabilitation center. The Free Association of Words Test was used, with inductive stimuli such as “Human Immunodeficiency Virus” and “Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome”. Data were processed by the EVOC software and analyzed in light of the Theory of Social Representations. Results: the elements of the central nucleus of the representation were prevention, fear, death, disease and anguish; the periphery revealed negative aspects regarding the contents. Conclusion: there has been a process of modification in the social representations on the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome with the incorporation of new elements such as the prevention and the reduction of the feeling of imminent death. Descriptors: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Women; Prisoners; Nursing.

Resiliência e capacidade funcional de pessoas idosas com diabetes mellitus

Objective: to correlate the resilience and functional capacity of the elderly people with diabetes mellitus. Methods: this is an exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional study, conducted with 96 elderly patients hospitalized for complications of diabetes mellitus in a university hospital. Data collection was performed through an interview, using a semi-structured instrument called the Resilience Scale and the Barthel Index. Results: most of the elderly people had moderate resilience (57.3%) and functional dependence (85.4%), with a mild (30.2%) and moderate (26.0%) prevalence. A positive correlation was observed with statistical significance between resilience and functional capacity, so the increase of one variable is correlated with the elevation of the other. Conclusion: when correlating resilience with the functional capacity of the elderly person, a positive and proportional relationship was observed between these variables highlighting the functional capacity as an important instrument for the development of resilience in the elderly person with diabetes.Objetivo: correlacionar a resiliência e a capacidade funcional de pessoas idosas com diabetes mellitus. Métodos: estudo exploratório, descritivo e transversal, realizado com 96 idosos hospitalizados por complicação do diabetes mellitus em um hospital universitário. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de entrevista, utilizando um instrumento semiestruturado, a Escala de Resiliência e o Índice de Barthel. Resultados: a maioria dos idosos apresentou resiliência moderada (57,3%) e dependência funcional (85,4%), com prevalência leve (30,2%) e moderada (26,0%). Foi observada uma correlação positiva com significância estatística entre a resiliência e a capacidade funcional, de modo que o aumento de uma variável está correlacionado à elevação da outra. Conclusão: ao correlacionar a resiliência com a capacidade funcional dos idosos, observou-se relação positiva e proporcional entre essas variáveis, o que ressalta a capacidade funcional como um importante instrumento para o desenvolvimento da resiliência no idoso com diabetes. Descritores: Resiliência Psicológica; Atividades Cotidianas; Idoso; Diabetes Mellitus.

Análise das dissertações e teses do programa de pós-graduação em Enfermagem da Universidade Federal da Paraíba

Objective: to analyze the thematic and methodological trend of the dissertations and theses of the Graduate Nursing Program of the Universidade Federal da Paraíba. Method: descriptive and documentary study performed by analyzing theses and dissertations defended from 2008 to 2016. Results: a total of 162 dissertations and 26 theses were defended, with higher prevalence of descriptive studies with qualitative approach, in the research line on Policies and Practices in Health and Nursing and in the thematic area of Nursing in Adult and Elderly Health, and the most frequent study scenario was the hospital. The semi-structured interview technique was the most used, with data analysis through statistical analysis softwares. It was found that the Basic Theory of Human Needs was the most used. Conclusion: there has been a greater scientific deepening of the Nursing science, with the consolidation of new research lines and, consequently, new perspectives and knowledge are built and widespread in the scientific community.

Meanings Assigned by Puerperal Women to Episiotomy

Objective: identify the knowledge and perception of puerperal mothers after completion of routine episiotomy. Method: this is a descriptive and qualitative study conducted with 13 puerperal mothers in a public hospital in Fortaleza/CE in the month of November 2011, using a previously elaborated interview script. Data were analyzed according to thematic analysis, giving rise to the following category: “Knowledge and perception of puerperal women regarding the episiotomy”. Result: most women were young, at reproductive phase, outside the formal labor market and ended up going through obstetric interventions without questioning their realization, and only half of the women in the study claimed to have received information about the procedure. The information provided by healthcare professionals on episiotomy conferred greater confidence to mothers. However, only few patients received knowledge in this way. Conclusion: knowledge about episiotomy is important for women, enabling them to express their freedom of opinion to comply or reject its realization.

Creation and Validation of an Educational Booklet on the Hypertensive Pregnancy Syndrome

Objective : To develop and validate an educational booklet about gestational hypertension syndrome. Method : methodological research divided into five stages: focus groups with pregnant women about gestational hypertension syndrome; literature review; construction and validation of a booklet on gestational hypertensive syndrome; preparation of texts; consulting with a graphic designer to create the figures/illustrations. The validation of the booklet has been done by the analysis of nine expert judges on the subject and 30 pregnant women, selected by convenience. Results : regarding the content validity index, it was higher in all the aspects, higher than 0.9. It was verified high level of agreement between the judges and pregnant women, in the appearance aspect of the booklet on five topics. Conclusion : the material is effective both in the technical aspects, as in the communication favor with the audience, reaching the understanding of participants in the prevention of hypertension syndrome.

HIV/AIDS and Seniors: Knowledge of the Elderly about the Disease

Introduction: the spread of HIV/AIDS in the elderly population is already characterized as a serious public health problem, requiring the development of actions and strategies to reduce the vulnerability of these individuals. Objective: identifying the knowledge of older people about HIV/AIDS. Method: this is an exploratory-descriptive study of a qualitative approach, developed with 26 elderly enrolled in three Family Health Strategies of the city of Cajazeiras, Paraiba, Brazil. Data were collected through interviews with a structured questionnaire and analyzed according to the Content Analysis Technique proposed by Bardin. Results: participants were 26 elderly, most of whom were women belonging to the age group of 60-69 years old and married. From the analysis of the speeches of the participants emerged the theme category Knowledge about HIV/AIDS, with the following subcategories: Definition, Sources of Information, Treatment and Prognosis. Conclusion: it showed that many seniors have relevant knowledge about the disease; however, most of this is insufficient or surrounded by the mystification of knowledge rooted in the popular daily life.

Diabetes Mellitus in Climacteric: Prevalence and Sociodemographic Characteristics

Introduction: the changes caused by menopause and the duration of this period in womens lives are of great scientific relevance, and achieving a better understanding of diseases such as diabetes prevalent in the climacteric and the risk factors associated with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases is essential. Objective: To determine the prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in climacteric women, correlating socioeconomic and demographic variables. Method: This is a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, performed in 14 Family Health Units (USF) in the urban area of the municipality of Cajazeiras/Paraiba, Brazil, with 396 women. Data were collected in interviews using a structured questionnaire, and the variables were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: There was prevalence of DM in 11.6% (n = 396) of the climacteric women, who had DM as a single disease or associated with other diseases. Regarding the sociodemographic profiles and lifestyles of the diabetic women, it became evident that the 46 participants were on average 52.1 years old; had 5.2 years of formal education and per capita income of 0.7 minimum wage; 43.5% were in paid employment; 65.2% had a fixed partner; 23.9% reported being smokers; 15.2% reported use of alcohol; 73.9% said they were sedentary and 76.1% were overweight/obese. Conclusion: The relationship between the presence of risk factors, especially those associated with physical inactivity and overweight, and the prevalence of diabetes and other diseases in the climacteric was strengthened.

Music Use as Therapy for Institutionalized Elderly

Introduction: the Long-Stay Institutions, in majority, are places inappropriate and inadequate to the needs that the elderly have, for physical, social and cognitive nature of activities are scarce in these environments. Objective: evaluating the use of music as therapy for promoting the quality of life of elderly in a Long-Stay Care Institution in the city of Cajazeiras-PB. Method: this is an exploratory and interventional research with a quantitative approach, accomplished with 17 institutionalized elderly. Results: the music used as therapy is an important agent in the improvement of social interaction, in the development of new relationships and emotional bonds, with strong influence in the reestablishment of functional impairments present in the elderly. Conclusion: the institutionalized elderly involved in this work showed improvement of physical, social and cognitive order through the use of music therapy.