Social indicators and self-reported health of elderly diabetic people: variations between the sexes - doi: 10.4025/actascihealthsci.v35i1.10315

Abstract

Diabetes has a high morbidity and mortality, with significant loss in the elderly people’s life quality. Variations between the sexes with regard to social indicators and self-reported health status of elderly people with diabetics are investigated. Current exploratory study has been undertaken at the outpatient endocrinology clinic of the University Hospital of UFPB, through interviews with 53 elderly people, of whom 38% were males and 62% were females, between October and December 2009, and data were analyzed by SPSS. Most of the elderly people (58.49%) interviewed were within the 60 - 64 age bracket. Although 71.70% reported being married, a high widowhood rate (21.21%) among the females was reported. Pension was the main source of income for 80% of males and for 54.55% of females. Whereas 42.42% of the females worked only at home, 65% of the males were unemployed. Further, 81.13% of the elderly had two or more diseases, 5% of males admitted lack of help in health care, and more men (10%) than women used assistance technologies. Since current study contributed towards a broadening of social and health indication data on men and women with diabetes, it may be beneficent towards better care in nursing.