Aim To investigate knowledge levels concerning COVID-19 in elderly patients with T2DM. Methods This cross-sectional, quantitative, observational, and descriptive study was undertaken among elderly individuals with T2DM involved in a body balance rehabilitation program that had been suspended due to social isolation. The study participants comprised elderly individuals with T2DM, contactable using fixed or mobile telephones. Data concerning participants' socioeconomic variables and knowledge of COVID-19 were collated, using a Brazil Ministry of Health guidelines checklist. Mann-Whitney and Spearman's correlation tests were used to analyze their responses. Results Of 30 elderly participants, 76.7% were women and 63.3% were married. The average age was 69.96 ± 4.46 years. The most cited information medium was television (96.6%). Of a possible 24 correct responses on the checklist, the median correct response score was 7.5. No significant relationship was observed between the total checklist score and the variables studied. Conclusion Elderly participants did not have in-depth knowledge concerning COVID-19, which suggests that their knowledge sources may be deficient or that their capacity to retain information was inadequate.

In Portugal, cardiovascular diseases stand out among the main causes of morbidity, disability, and mortality, with an expectation of growth up to the year 2025. A descriptive, exploratory study was carried out with patients in a cardiac rehabilitation program from an institution in the northern region of Portugal; 103 participants were randomly selected for the study. The data collection took place from February to April 2017. The majority of respondents presented a low level of literacy (inadequate and problematic). The profiles of the participants were characterized by the predominance of married males, with a mean age of 69 years. The participants considered doctors and nurses as the professionals who contribute the most to the increase of their health literacy. These health professionals have the opportunity and the responsibility to increase the health literacy levels of patients. It is known that low levels of health literacy are a problem throughout the European Union. Portugal's general population reflects this reality, and this study contributed to the conclusion that cardiac rehabilitation patients also present worrying levels of health literacy.

O objetivo foi analisar a disposição histórica das internações por Acidente Vascular Cerebral Isquêmico (AVCI) e suas características hospitalares dos últimos 20 anos no nordeste brasileiro, hipotetizando o impacto da criação de políticas públicas nacionais. Trata-se de um estudo ecológico retrospectivo de série temporal entre 1999-2019, baseado em dados coletados no Sistema de Informação Hospitalar (SIH) do SUS (DATASUS). Os dados foram estratificados por sexo e faixa etária, e observou-se grande redução do número de internações, valor total (custo) e número de óbitos entre 2001-2002 e entre 2013-2014; os demais anos apresentaram graus proporcionais de constância, sem alterações importantes. As mesmas variáveis aumentaram com a idade, mas mostraram-se equivalentes entre os sexos. Concluiu-se que dados estudados sobre AVCI indicaram declínio acentuado nos anos de 2002 e 2014. Inúmeros fatores podem ter influenciado essa mudança de comportamento, incluindo a implementação de programas como o Hiperdia e Mais Médicos.

Objective: Obtain a historical analysis of data related to hospitalizations, total amount spent and days dedicated to diabetes mellitus by a unit of the Brazilian Federation of Ancients over the past 10 years. Methodology: it is an ecological, retrospective study and time series with censorial data from the Health Unic System Department of Informatics. Results: the peak of hospitalizations in Brazil between 2009 and 2019 occurred in the year 2011 and the year with the most expenses with hospitalizations in 2019. The Northeast stood out together with the Southeast leading the variables in all age groups. For all age groups and all variables, the Middle West has the lowest number of hospitalizations among all Brazilian regions. Conclusion: the number of hospitalizations, hospitalization days and the total amount spent by Diabetes Mellitus in the last 10 years for the elderly shows a crucial characteristic, except in 2012 and 2016. The southeast leads the analysis majority, followed by the noreste, the sur, North and, finally, the Middle West.