Solidão nos idosos como determinante de saúde: um estudo transversal no Baixo Alentejo

Abstract

Background: Human ageing is a reality in today's world. The Baixo Alentejo is one of the regions in Portugal with the highest rates of population ageing and great geographical dispersion, potentially associated with greater loneliness. Loneliness is a well-known source of suffering, associated with reduced quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality, with an impact on the use of health services. To date, there has been no study carried out in this region. Objectives: To determine the impact of loneliness among the elderly on the use of health resources in Baixo Alentejo. Secondly, to characterize the prevalence of loneliness and the associated characteristics and determinants. Material and methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out by applying a questionnaire to people aged 65 and over, who were autonomous and not institutionalized, and who attended the primary health care services of the Unidade Local de Saúde do Baixo Alentejo (ULSBA) between March 15, 2024 and September 15, 2024. The University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS) was used to measure loneliness. Other sociodemographic variables and family dysfunction scales were also analysed. Results: The study included 318 participants (58.8% female) with an average age of 75.5 years, 28.9% of whom were over 80 years old. Of the total, 29.6% lived alone, 59.7% had a monthly income of less than the national minimum wage and 61.3% had less than 6 years of schooling. In total, 52.0% of the participants were mildly lonely and 14.8% were severely lonely. Participants with greater family dysfunction were lonelier. It was not possible to determine a relationship between age and levels of loneliness, nor was it possible to find a relationship between participation in leisure activities and loneliness. The presence of loneliness was associated with a greater number of consultations in Primary Health Care, a greater number of visits to emergency services and a greater daily consumption of medication. Conclusion: Loneliness among the elderly in Baixo Alentejo significantly influences the use of health services and seems to be a real determinant with a negative impact on health.