Rastreio nutricional e autopercepção de saúde dos idosos rurais do Amazonas: um estudo descritivo

Abstract

Introduction: Aging in the Amazon rural context, in remote and hard-to-reach areas, is a reality that requires special attention from health services regarding the demographic, social, and nutritional aspects related to health self-perception. Objective: The nutritional status and health self-perception of elderly individuals residing in the rural area of the State of Amazonas were evaluated and described. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted with elderly individuals aged ≥ 60 years residing in the rural area of the State of Amazonas. To assess nutritional health self-perception and sociodemographic variables, a validated semi-structured questionnaire was used. Nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Sarcopenia screening was conducted using the Sarcopenia Risk Screening Tool (SARC-F). Results: A total of 215 elderly individuals were evaluated, the majority being female, who engage in domestic activities and, when retired, take on additional work. Most of the evaluated rural elderly individuals presented nutritional profiles within normal ranges; when assessing nutritional status and the risk of sarcopenia, elderly men showed a higher negative risk and prevalence of sarcopenia. A considerable portion of the rural elderly population exhibited risks of malnutrition, fractures, and falls. Regarding negative health self-perception, many reported loss of appetite and difficulty in food intake. Most elderly individuals consume, on average, 2 to 3 meals per day. Conclusion: The nutritional profile among the elderly was within normal ranges, although health self-perception indicated risks of fractures, loss of appetite, and difficulty eating independently. Early nutritional and health interventions may reduce the risk of frailty among rural Amazonian elderly individuals and improve their health perception.