Objective: to identify the factors associated with the institutionalization of the elderly. Method: a case-control, population-based study was performed with 387 elderly people. The study considered cases of elderly people (n=191) living in long-term care facilities, and a control group (n=196) who lived in homes in urban areas of the city. Both groups were identified from the records of the Family Health Strategy and were randomly selected. Institutionalization was considered a dependent variable, and sociodemographics, clinical factors, functional status, and cognitive impairment were considered independent variables. Comparison between groups was analyzed using the Chi-squared and Pearson tests and the logistic regression model was used in adjusted analysis, with measurements of effect expressed as odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval. Variables with p≤0.20 were considered for entry in the multiple model. Results: variables that remained associated with institutionalization in multiple analysis were: not having a partner (OR=9.7), not having children (OR=4.0), presenting cognitive impairment (OR=11.4), and depending on others to perform basic activities of daily living (OR=10.9). Conclusion: cognitive impairment and dependency for basic activities of daily living were more strongly associated with institutionalization. Home care strategies and preventive actions for risk factors should be stimulated to delay the referral of elderly people to Long Term Care Facilities for the Elderly, and to develop strategies that allow the elderly to remain socially active.

Objective: to identify the prevalence and factors associated with preventive examinations for the screening of prostate cancer in the elderly. Methods: a cross-sectional populationbased study of 181 men aged ≥60 years who were residents of a small city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, was carried out. The dependent variable was considered to be the performance of preventive prostate cancer tests in the past two years and the independent variables were those related to health and sociodemographic characteristics. To test the association between the outcome and the independent variables, gross and multivariable analysis using Poisson regression was performed, estimating the gross and adjusted prevalence ratios, calculating the confidence intervals of 95%. All variables with p≤0.20 were included in the multiple model. Results: the prevalence of preventive examinations for prostate cancer was 89%. The tests used were the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) (85.7%), followed by tests performed in combination: rectal examination and PSA (9.3%), rectal examination, ultrasound and PSA (3.1%), rectal examination and ultrasound (1.3%) and ultrasound and PSA (0.6%). In multivariate analysis, the variables retirement and marital status were the independent factors associated with the carrying out of at least one preventive examination of the prostate. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that being retired increases the likelihood of carrying out preventive examinations and having a partner, being married or cohabiting increases the likelihood of undergoing tests.

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Objective: to analyze existing federal legislation on public policies that deal with the elderly’s rights, with emphasis onthe assistance provided in long-term care facilities for the elderly and the practical impact of these laws. Methods: this is adocumentary analysis of descriptive character. Results: one identified, among nineteen laws, decrees and ordinances in thelast 25 years, significant developments aimed at the elderly’s welfare, as well as structural proposals and the supervisionof long-term care institutions. Conclusion: the analysis conducted in the documents allowed the conclusion that the needspoint to the decentralization of institutions, increase of vacancies and bigger financial investment of public institutions.

ResumoObjetivou-se verificar os fatores de associação entre a prática de atividade física (AF) em idosos residentes do município de Estação no Rio Grande do Sul. Trata-se de um estudo transversal de base populacional com idosos residentes na comunidade, selecionados aleatoriamente. Participaram do estudo 419 idosos com média de idade de 69 anos (±7,6), sendo 57% do sexo feminino. Coletaram-se os dados por inquérito domiciliar com o questionário validado de pesquisa Saúde, Bem-Estar e Envelhecimento. Consideraram-se como variáveis dependentes à atividade física e independentes as relacionadas às características sociodemográficas e as condições de saúde. Para verificar a associação entre as variáveis categóricas, foram aplicados os testes qui-quadrado e o modelo de regressão logística na análise ajustada a um nível de significância de p≤0,05. A partir dos resultados obtidos no modelo ajustado, somente as variáveis faixa etária de 80 anos ou mais, presença de dor crônica e o histórico de quedas no último ano apresentaram associação com a AF. Pode-se referir no estudo que quanto maior a faixa etária dos idosos, maior presença de dor crônica e aumento dos índices de quedas, menor a proporção de praticantes de AF. PalavRas-chaveCondições de saúde; Atividade motora; Envelhecimento. abstRact The objective was to verify the association of factors between the practice of physical activity (PA) in elderly residents of Estação municipality in Rio Grande do Sul It is a cross-sectional population-based study of elderly residents in the community