Marine ecotourism has undergone worldwide expansion in recent years, leading to increased concern regarding the impact on the environment. Despite this, however, few studies into the potential effect of tourist boats on dolphin welfare, have been carried out. In order to evaluate the impact of these activities on the presence and foraging behaviour of the threatened marine tucuxis (Sotalia fluviatilis), we observed them: 1) prior to the arrival of a boat in the bay; 2) for the duration of a vessel's stay in the bay and 3) after the boat's departure: ie pre-exposure, exposure and post-exposure phases. Both the average number of dolphins and the foraging activity were significantly reduced while a vessel was in the bay. Marine tucuxis are exclusively coastal and show fidelity to the site where they choose to live which makes any environmental disturbance of particular importance. Moreover, our findings are further evidence of the need for motorboat activity to be regulated and monitored to protect marine tucuxis as well as other coastal and estuarine dolphins.

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OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess global quality of life and the factors associated with it in long-lived older adults registered with family health centers. Global quality of life was measured using the two general questions on the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional, quantitative study based on secondary data from a sample of 100 older adults. RESULTS: The results of analyses revealed a mean age of 84.20 years, 77% of the sample were female, 46% had spent between 1 and 4 years in education, 63% were widowed, 76% had an income equivalent to one to two times the minimum wage, 77% had systemic arterial hypertension, 34% had diabetes mellitus, 27% had cardiovascular disease, 74% had social support, and 63% exhibited depressive symptomology. The frequency of satisfactory global quality of life in the sample studied was 35%. CONCLUSIONS: In relation to global quality of life, assessed in terms of interviewees’ satisfaction with their lives and health in conjunction, the majority of the study population reported not being satisfied. After completion of all statistical analyses, factors associated with dissatisfaction were social support, depression, and osteoarthritis.