Objective: determine the prevalence and factors associated with frailty syndrome (FS) in the elderly in the rural population of Pelotas. Method: Quantitative, analytical, transversal study conducted with 820 elderly subjects registered in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in the rural area in the municipality of Pelotas, from July to October 2014. Results: among those evaluated, 43.41% showed FS. These factors were consolidated as associated with the condition: low income (PR: 1.54, p ≤ 0.001), low educ. level (PR: 1.45, p ≤ 0.001), nutritional status (obesity) (PR:1.89, p ≤ 0.001), physical inactivity (PR:1.93, p = 0.003), cognitive deficit (PR:2.07, p = 0.005), and poor self-perceived health (PR: 8.21, p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: the findings may contribute effectively to the establishment of prevention and screening measures for frailty among the elderly by health professionals, especially nurses, aiming to prevent the occurrence of the syndrome and adverse and undesirable outcomes.

Objective: to understand how the rural older adults promote their autonomy in active aging. Method: qualitative research through the Paulo Freire's research itinerary, consisting of three steps: area of research; encoding and decoding; and critical unveiling. Seventeen older adults living in the rural area of a municipality in Southern Brazil participated in the research. Six culture circles were conducted from July to December 2016. Results: the investigation revealed two generating themes: joint pain and participation in groups. The understanding of autonomy promotion for the active aging of older adults is focused on the physical capacity and independence of activities of daily living. Final considerations: the culture circles have promoted reflection moments for the participants, especially about the advantages and difficulties related to the practice of autonomy in the exercise of citizenship for active aging in the rural area.

O objetivo do estudo é avaliar a prevalência e hábitos de prevenção do câncer de pele em idosos rurais. Estudo quantitativo e transversal. Amostra composta por 820 idosos rurais. Utilizou-se instrumento com questões estruturadas. O período de coleta dos dados foi de julho a outubro de 2014. As variáveis foram analisadas utilizando-se o pacote estatístico Stata®11.1 e, utilizados os testes Qui-quadrado e teste exato de Fisher, adotando-se 5% para o nível de significância. A prevalência de câncer de pele foi de 4,8% nesta amostra. Considerando-se os hábitos de exposição solar, 83,5% deles estão expostos ao sol neste estudo, 66,2% estão expostos durante o período em que a radiação ultravioleta é mais intensa e 73,0% nunca usaram protetor solar. Os resultados do estudo reforçam a necessidade de investimentos em prevenção e educação para este tipo de câncer.

Objetivo: conhecer as características de idosos hospitalizados com fratura do fêmur e os fatores extrínsecos relacionados aos acidentes por quedas. Método: estudo transversal e descritivo, realizado no período de fevereiro de 2012 a fevereiro de 2013, com 108 idosos internados em um Hospital de médio porte do município de Pelotas devido a fratura do fêmur. As variáveis analisadas foram dados socioeconômicos e demográficos relacionados aos fatores extrínsecos de quedas em idosos. Resultados: a maior parte dos entrevistados eram aposentados, viúvos, sabiam ler e escrever e sofreram fratura do fêmur devido à queda em suas próprias residências. A maioria dos domicílios não possuía adaptações no seu interior e os tapetes disponíveis não eram antiderrapantes. Conclusão: os dados mostram que os acidentes por quedas na população idosa podem ser evitados com medidas simples, todavia se faz necessário uma avaliação da pessoa idosa e do ambiente em que vive, identificando os idosos com risco para quedas.

This study aimed to learn about the conditions of access to health services that seniors living in rural areas have, as well as their satisfaction. This is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research conducted in a municipality located in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It included 19 elderly individuals registered in three Basic Health Units organized in the form of Family Health Strategy. Data were collected between July and August 2018 through semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed based on Minayo's operational proposal. Afterwards, two categories were defined: "Access to health services used by elderly residents of rural areas" and "Satisfaction with health services used by elderly residents of rural areas". Concerning access, many are the difficulties faced, such as long distances to be traveled until arriving at a health service, poor road conditions, limitations related to public transport days, timetables and itineraries, lack of human and material resources, and long waiting time to make appointments with specialists and schedule exams through the Brazilian Unified Health System. As for satisfaction, the main complaint of the elderly participants refers to issues involving, above all, health management and work process, such as delay in making health care appointments, although most participants reported being satisfied with the care provided by health professionals. It is worth noting that learning about the conditions of access to health services used by elderly people living in rural areas and their satisfaction contributes to the planning, implementation, development and evaluation of public health actions, programs and policies.