Sadio Rute, Henriques Adriana, Nogueira Paulo, Costa Andreia
Nursing Research, Innovation and Development Centre of Lisbon (CIDNUR), Nursing School of Lisbon (ESEL), Lisbon, Portugal.
Unidade Local de Saúde do Alentejo Central, Estremoz, Portugal.
Front Public Health. 2025 Apr 25;13:1514968. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1514968. eCollection 2025.
The global increase in the older adults population which represents 22% the population in Portugal and is especially pronounced in the Alentejo region, posed noteworthy challenges. Social isolation, particularly in rural areas, requires policies that promote inclusion and wellbeing, such as social prescription. This study aimed to conduct a multidimensional assessment of the older adults individuals in Alentejo, evaluating quality of life, wellbeing, functionality, loneliness and health literacy.
A cross-sectional design was performed involving 344 participants aged 65 and over, residing in the Alentejo region. Validated scales and Questionnaires were used to assess sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life, wellbeing, functionality, loneliness and health literacy. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, employing descriptive and inferential statistics to identify significant patterns and relationships between variables.
The sample consisted of 52% women, with an average age of 75.3 years (SD = 7.31; range = 65-96 years). Wellbeing, as measured by the WHO-5 index, was preserved with an average score of 53 (SD = 4.29). Loneliness was prevalent, with 50% of participants experiencing it, and the average score on the UCLA Loneliness Scale was 41.9 (SD = 5.59). Pain and anxiety were the most commonly reported issues according to the EQ-5D-3L, with 57.3% reporting pain/discomfort and 48.5% reporting anxiety/depression. Health literacy levels were low, with, only 6.4% exhibiting excellent literacy, while 45.0% had problematic or inadequate literacy.
The findings suggest that while preserved, significant differences exist between men and women, as well as between rural and urban residents. Mobility, pain, and anxiety were the primary factors affecting Quality of life, particularly in rural areas. Low health literacy was identified as a barrier to autonomy and effective health management, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions to promote active and healthy aging.
全球老年人口数量不断增加，在葡萄牙占总人口的22%，在阿连特茹地区尤为显著，这带来了值得关注的挑战。社会隔离，尤其是在农村地区，需要促进包容和福祉的政策，如社会处方。本研究旨在对阿连特茹地区的老年人进行多维度评估，评估生活质量、福祉、功能、孤独感和健康素养。
采用横断面设计，涉及344名居住在阿连特茹地区、年龄在65岁及以上的参与者。使用经过验证的量表和问卷来评估社会人口学特征、生活质量、福祉、功能、孤独感和健康素养。使用SPSS软件对数据进行分析，采用描述性和推断性统计来识别变量之间的显著模式和关系。
样本中女性占52%，平均年龄为75.3岁（标准差=7.31；范围=65-96岁）。根据世界卫生组织-5指数衡量，福祉状况良好，平均得分为53分（标准差=4.29）。孤独感普遍存在，50%的参与者有孤独感，加州大学洛杉矶分校孤独感量表的平均得分为41.9分（标准差=5.59）。根据EQ-5D-3L，疼痛和焦虑是最常报告的问题，57.3%的人报告有疼痛/不适，48.5%的人报告有焦虑/抑郁。健康素养水平较低，只有6.4%的人具有优秀的素养，而45.0%的人素养存在问题或不足。
研究结果表明，虽然总体状况良好，但男性和女性之间以及农村和城市居民之间存在显著差异。行动能力、疼痛和焦虑是影响生活质量的主要因素，尤其是在农村地区。低健康素养被认为是自主和有效健康管理的障碍，强调需要采取针对性干预措施来促进积极健康的老龄化。
