Pereira Josianne Katherine, Firmo Josélia Oliveira Araújo, Giacomin Karla Cristina
Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil,
Prefeitura Municipal de Belo Horizonte.
Cien Saude Colet. 2014 Aug;19(8):3375-84. doi: 10.1590/1413-81232014198.11942013.
Functionality is a crucial dimension of the health of the elderly. The aim of this work is to investigate the elements that comprise the significance of disability for the elderly residents of the city of Bambuí in the state of Minas Gerais. A qualitative approach was adopted in which the model of signs, significance and actions was used in both data collection and analysis. Interviews were conducted with 57 elderly individuals (30 women; 27 men) ranging from 61 to 96 years of age registered in primary care units. The participants interpret functionality/disability (disease) as "being able to cope/not being able to cope" or "being a burden" (illness) to others. "Not being able to cope" refers to the inexorable functional loss inherent to the aging process, while "being a burden" relates to the permanent condition of generating pain and suffering to both patient and care giver. The way to deal with the "not being able to cope" condition is related to resignation. On the other hand, praying is the way to deal with "being a burden." Religion and resignation can help during critical moments, though they also reveal the lack of resources and alternatives for support and intervention in the most severe cases.
功能状况是老年人健康的一个关键维度。本研究旨在调查构成米纳斯吉拉斯州班布伊市老年居民残疾意义的要素。采用了定性研究方法，在数据收集和分析中均使用了符号、意义和行动模型。对在基层医疗单位登记的57名61至96岁的老年人（30名女性；27名男性）进行了访谈。参与者将功能状况/残疾（疾病）解释为“能够应对/无法应对”或成为他人的“负担”（疾病）。“无法应对”指的是衰老过程中不可避免的功能丧失，而“成为负担”则涉及给患者和照顾者带来痛苦和折磨的长期状况。应对“无法应对”状况的方式与顺从有关。另一方面，祈祷是应对“成为负担”的方式。宗教和顺从不失为关键时刻的帮助，但它们也揭示了在最严重的情况下缺乏支持和干预的资源及替代办法。
