Effects of a case management-based intervention on non-motor risk factors for falls in older people with history of falls: a randomised clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Falls are directly related to morbidity and mortality of older people. Multifactorial approaches that are individualised and based on fall risk factors are necessary. This study aims to verify the effects of a case management-based intervention on non-motor risk factors for falls in community-dwelling older people with a history of falls. METHODS: The intervention applied a multidimensional assessment of risk factors for falls, a discussion about the identified risk factors, the preparation of an individualised plan with the participant, and the application, monitoring and review of the plan. RESULTS: There was a significant interaction between groups and assessments only in the visuospatial domain (P = 0.031). After simple main effects analysis, differences between groups and assessments were not significant, although there was a tendency of worse visuospatial performance in the control group in the follow-up assessment (P = 0.099). There were no significant differences between groups or between assessments in other variables. CONCLUSION: The intervention has the potential to maintain non-motor risk factors for falls in community-dwelling older people with a history of falls. However, more clinical trials are needed to prove its effects.

Caracterização dos idosos internados por doença respiratória aguda em um hospital escola terciário / Characterization of elderly inpatient with acute respiratory disease in a tertiary medical school hospital

Objetivo: Caracterizar o perfil sociodemográfico, clínico e de fatores de risco de idosos internados por Doença Respiratória Aguda (DRA) no Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto. Metodologia: Pesquisa quantitativa, descritiva e retrospectiva, com dados coletados através da análise de 94 prontuários médicos de idosos com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, internados no período de agosto de 2012 a setembro de 2013 por DRA no Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto. Resultados: O estudo identificou que entre os 94 idosos internados por DRA, 56,4% eram homens (n=53), com 76 anos de idade ou mais (55,3%), brancos (88,3%), casados (54,2%), com baixa escolaridade (19,1% não alfabetizados e 53,3% com até 4 anos de estudo), portadores de pelo menos uma comorbidade (83%), e apresentavam pelo menos um fator de risco para DRA como tabagismo e/ou desnutrição. Dos classificados com dependência funcional, a maioria eram idosos acima dos 75 anos. Quanto à situação cognitiva, menos da metade dos idosos apresentava algum déficit relatado em prontuário, e entre estes a maioria era maior de 75 anos. Mais de 70% dos pacientes (n=68) receberam alta com melhora, sendo que mais da metade (n=38) tinham 75 anos de idade ou menos. Do total, 17 pacientes evoluíram a óbito, sendo que destes, 88,2% (n=15) tinham acima de 75 anos. Após a alta médica, um pequeno número de pacientes (n=11) foram contra-referenciados às suas Unidades Básicas de Saúde de origem. Conclusão: Os resultados do estudo apontam para a importância de se reforçar as redes de cuidados voltadas aos idosos comprometidos por DRA, especialmente aqueles com idade avançada, fatores de risco presentes, comorbidades associadas, dependência funcional e déficit cognitivo, devido à alta probabilidade de má evolução. A capacitação dos profissionais de saúde dos diferentes níveis de atenção à saúde e a criação de estratégias para educação da população são ações fundamentais para a consolidação destas redes de cuidados e, consequentemente, auxiliar na prevenção e no diagnóstico precoce, visando à redução das internações e a mortalidade por DRA

Objective: To characterize the sociodemographic and clinic profiles and risk factors of elderlies hospitalized by acute respiratory disease (ARD) in Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto. Metodology: A quantitative, descriptive and retrospective study, with data collected through the analysis of 94 medical records of elderly inpatient, 60 years or older, hospitalized from August 2012 to September 2013 due to ARD. Results: This study identified that among 94 elderly inpatient with acute respiratory disease, major were men (n = 53), 76 years old or more (n = 52), white (n = 83), and had at least one risk factor for ARDs, such as smoking and/or bad nutrition. Most of the elderly over 75 years were dependent on daily life activities. Less than a half had cognitive deficit reported in their medical records, and most of them were more than 75 years old. More than 70% of the patients were discharged with improvement (n = 68), and more than half were 75 years old or less (n = 38). Among the 94 patients, 17 have died, being 88.2% over 75 years old (n = 15). After discharge, a small number of patients were referred to their Primary Care Unit (n = 11). Conclusions: The results of this study appoint to the importance of increasing care networks for elderly people affected by ARD, especially the oldiest, with risk factors, associated comorbidities, functional dependence and cognitive deficit, due to the high probability of bad prognosis. Training professionals at different levels of health care and creation of strategies to instruct the population about ARD are fundamental actions, in order to consolidate these care networks and, consequently, support prevention and early diagnosis, targeting the reduction of hospitalizations and mortality due to ARD.