740 research outputs found
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Neck circumference in community-dwelling older adults: prevalence and associated factors - a cross-sectional study
No full textOBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of inadequate nutritional status, as assessed by neck circumference (NC), and its associated factors in older adults living in a municipality in Southern Brazil.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of older adults living in the municipality of Coxilha, Rio Grande do Sul. Participants were assessed for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and presence of chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). NC was measured at the midpoint of the neck, just below the upper border of the laryngeal prominence, and categorized based on the following cutoff points: ≥ 40.5 cm for men and ≥ 35.7 cm for women.
RESULTS: A total of 517 older adults (mean age 69.74 years) were assessed. The sample was predominantly female. A high prevalence of inadequate NC was identified in both men (39.8%) and women (48.7%). In men, inadequate NC was associated with living with a partner, having a household income more than five times the minimum wage, and presence of NCDs. In women, it was associated with living in urban areas and the presence of NCDs.
CONCLUSIONS: This study found a high prevalence of large NC in older adults in a small municipality in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, This finding was associated with NCDs and other factors.</p
The geriatric 5Ms, artificial intelligence, and Hannah Arendt’s critique: ethical reflections within contemporary gerontology
No full textThe intersection of geriatrics, artificial intelligence (AI), and ethics presents a growing challenge in the field of aging medicine. The Geriatric 5Ms framework — Mind, Mobility, Medications, Multicomplexity, and Matters Most — guides current clinical practice in the approach to older patients. The integration of AI into geriatrics has the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, optimize therapies, and individualize interventions. However, the automation of clinical decision-making carries inherent ethical risks, potentially reducing the patient to a set of data and weakening the physician-patient relationship. Hannah Arendt’s critique of the bureaucratization of thought and the banality of evil warns of the dangerous alienation of healthcare professionals in the face of uncritical reliance on algorithms. This article proposes a critical approach to the use of AI in geriatrics, emphasizing the need for a balance between technology and clinical judgment. The regulation of these technologies should prioritize equity, personalized care, and professional autonomy, ensuring that technological innovation reinforces — rather than replaces — patient-centered medical practice.</p
Breaking barriers: age-specific social and economic obstacles to physical activity in a highly vulnerable Latin American community
No full textOBJECTIVES: To identify and compare perceived barriers to physical activity among adults and older adults living in a socially vulnerable urban area in São Carlos, Brazil.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data collected between 2014 and 2015 from 71 residents of the Santa Angelina neighborhood, previously selected in a quasi-experimental study evaluating a community-based walking program. Participants were assessed during home visits using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ – long version), and the Brazilian version of the Survey of the Fitness of Australians. Descriptive statistics and χ² or Fisher’s exact tests were applied to examine sex- and age-related differences in perceived barriers.
RESULTS: The most frequently reported barriers were lack of companionship (63.4%), belief of being sufficiently active (57.7%), financial constraints (56.3%), illness or injury (54.9%), and unfavorable weather (50.7%). Women reported illness or injury more often (p = 0.045), while younger adults cited laziness or demotivation more frequently (p < 0.001). Older adults (≥ 60 years) mainly reported health-related and environmental barriers, whereas younger adults (< 60 years) emphasized motivational and perceptual challenges.
CONCLUSION: Multiple and interrelated barriers to physical activity persist in socially vulnerable contexts, even when community programs are available. Tailored, equity-oriented strategies that integrate social support, environmental safety, and motivational approaches are essential to foster sustainable physical activity engagement across age groups.</p
COVID-19 and institutional long-term care: strategies in four Latin American countries
No full textObjective: COVID-19 had a disproportionate impact on older people; within this group, those living in long-term care facilities were particularly affected. In this context, the present study aims to understand the impact of and responses to COVID-19 in institutional long-term care (LTC) in four Latin American countries: Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico.
Methods: Retrospective country-level study (narrative review) using secondary databases.
Results: In all countries, older people were disproportionally affected by COVID-19; despite the hypothesis that this impact may have been even greater for people receiving institutional care, no information was available. Our analysis shows that countries adopted specific strategies to address this challenge, including isolation and vaccination in all countries, as well as other actions, such as support for caregivers and in-kind and in-cash benefits.
Conclusions: The implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of COVID-19 response initiatives in institutional LTC across Latin America are hindered by a lack of information, including the number, distribution, and features of LTC facilities, residents, and staff.</p
Bioethical reflections on the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease through biomarker research
No full textThis opinion article discusses the use of biomarkers in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease through biomarker detection opens new horizons for research into the disease, allowing the detection of pathophysiological changes before symptoms appear. However, the method is still limited from a clinical point of view and raises several ethical considerations. However, it is worth asking whether patients with biomarkers but no symptoms can be considered to have the disease already or are simply at risk of it. Analysis of arguments for and against the practice indicates that, to date, there is no clear definition of which patients should undergo biomarker measurement. We aimed to discuss the repercussions of requesting biomarker tests for suspected Alzheimer's cases, reflecting on the attending professional's role. Initially, a thorough clinical evaluation should be performed. Subsequently, based on analysis of the patient's characteristics beyond purely clinical aspects, requests for biomarkers can be discussed without forgetting the repercussions for individuals who face positive results.</p
Gambling and older adults: there is no safe bet!
No full textThis article aims to alert geriatricians and gerontologists about the risks of gambling among older adults. Although institutionalized gambling has existed in Brazil since the golden age of casinos, despite being a recreational activity not everyone gambles in a healthy way. Some people’s gambling becomes problematic and they lose control of their behavior, resulting in a gambling disorder, which could lead to financial, emotional, social, and health damage. Currently, the abundance and easy access to online gambling seems to have increased the risk of problem gambling for vulnerable groups, and we are already experiencing a national epidemic of gambling disorder. Older people may be included in this group, since they present some risk factors for problem gambling, such as a high prevalence of depressive symptoms, social isolation, and feelings of loneliness. Gambling to relieve a dysphoric mood is a diagnostic criterion for gambling disorder. Because government surveys have shown the extent of older adult participation in online gambling, geriatricians and gerontologists should not disregard the real risk that older people may develop problematic gambling patterns — even online —, and these specialists should pay attention to certain signs and behaviors. The Lie/Bet Questionnaire is recommended for screening problem gambling behavior and can facilitate care for older adults with gambling problems.</p
Multimorbidity is associated with low functional ability in older adults living in a German-colonized city in southern Brazil: a population-based study
No full textOBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between multimorbidity and low functional ability in older adults in southern Brazil.
METHODS: In a cross-sectional population-based study, we analyzed a sample of 435 persons aged 60–79 years old. Functional ability was estimated using a scale 0 to 100, stratified into quartiles, and the presence of diseases was self-reported. The association between multimorbidity and low functional ability (lowest quartile or less) was estimated by logistic regression.
RESULTS: The frequency of multimorbidity was 85.5% and the median functional ability score was 70. There was an inverse correlation between functional ability score and the number of chronic diseases (rho= -0.48; p<0.0001). Low functional ability was associated with multimorbidity (OR 3.1; 95%CI 1.7–5.5; p<0.001) and remained so after adjustment for sex, age, health service utilization, hospitalizations, health insurance status, and self-perceived health status (OR 2.0; 95%CI 1.07–3.73; p=0.029).
CONCLUSION: Identifying the most vulnerable older adults and providing them with appropriate health care could help prevent loss of functional ability.</p
Self-reported diabetes and its complications in older adults in Brazil: prevalence and correlates from the 2019 National Health Survey
No full textOBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of self-reported diabetes and related complications among Brazilian older adults and to identify associated sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related factors.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey, comprising 22728 individuals aged ≥ 60 years. Diabetes was defined by self-report or medication use. Prevalence ratios and 95%CIs were estimated using Poisson regression models, accounting for the complex sampling design.
RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported diabetes was 20.0% (95%CI 19.9 – 21.7%), higher among women, individuals aged 70 – 79 years, those with lower education and income, and those with poor self-rated health. Nearly all respondents (97.0%) reported pharmacological treatment, while 34.1% experienced at least one diabetes-related complication, primarily visual impairment (30.6%), kidney problems (9.1%), and cardiovascular events (8.2%). Diabetes prevalence was positively associated with physical inactivity and body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2. Conversely, higher educational attainment and infrequent health care utilization were inversely associated with diabetes.
CONCLUSION: Diabetes is highly prevalent among Brazilian older adults and often coexists with complications, despite wide treatment coverage within the public health system. Socioeconomic and behavioral disparities significantly influence prevalence and outcomes, underscoring the need for targeted public health interventions focused on prevention, early detection, and integrated care.</p
Implementation of the gerontology area of the Inter-University Network for Healthy Aging of Latin America and the Caribbean (RIES-LAC)
No full textThe Decade of Healthy Aging (2021-2030) initiative fosters international action and offers an opportunity for different society stakeholders to implement measures that improve the quality of life of older adults and their environments. In this context, the Inter-University Network for Healthy Aging of Latin America and the Caribbean (RIES-LAC) was established in 2023, uniting academics and universities across the region. The network is organized into 2 areas: Gerontology and Geriatrics. Their implementation has progressed in parallel, with Gerontology presenting the greatest diversity of initiatives and products, thereby facilitating the implementation of the Geriatrics area. This study aimed to describe the implementation of the Gerontology area of RIES-LAC during the period May 2023–June 2025, 2 years after its establishment, and to identify the challenges for 2025, serving as a source of innovation and best practices. The analysis reviewed the products, procedures, and results accomplished in the initial 5 strategic axes: collaborative networks, basic and advanced research, public engagement, advanced human capital formation, and public policies; as well as future challenges. We also examined the evidence supporting academic networks, along with the implications, strengths, and weaknesses of implementing the Gerontology area. This experience highlights the potential of RIES-LAC to serve as a model for similar initiatives in other regions, including North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, by providing a favorable setting for universities and academics to concertedly contribute their expertise to global healthy aging.</p
Influence of age at onset on the clinical and functional profile of motor neuron disease
No full textOBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the characteristics and differences in clinical and functional variables associated to the onset of motor neuron diseases in adults and older adults.
METHODS: Fifty-two patients were recruited from a neuromuscular disease outpatient clinic and were divided into two groups: adults (< 60 years) and older adults (≥ 60 years), which were matched for sex and disease duration to reduce potential confounding. Data on demographics and clinical and functional characteristics were collected. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and comparisons between groups.
RESULTS: Significant differences were found regarding education (older adults: 5.4 [SD, 3.8] years; adults: 8.9 [SD, 4.2] years; p = 0.02), onset location (bulbar: 23.11% of older adults and 11.6% of adults; p = 0.034), pain (53.8% of older adults and 80.8% of adults; p = 0.034) and bag valve mask use (23.1% of older adults and 53.8% of adults; p = 0.023).
CONCLUSION: After controlling for sex, disease duration, and clinical and functional characteristics, such as muscle strength, mobility, balance, and quality of life, the results were comparable between the groups. This suggests that age at onset may not be a primary factor in functional outcomes, which highlights the importance of individualized assessment and treatment strategies.</p
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