Aim : to assess the prevalence of diminished frequency of bowel movements, lumpy or hard stools, intestinal constipation, straining, incomplete evacuation, incontinence (bowel dysfunctions) in patients with brain injury resulting from cerebrovascular accident, either self-reported or reported by their caregivers; to describe the type and frequency of such dysfunctions; and the prevalence of laxative use both before and after stroke.Method : cross-sectional study with 98 hospitalized patients admitted for rehabilitation between December 2009 and May 2010.Results : the prevalence of bowel dysfunctions before stroke was 23.96% whereas after the lesion it was 55.21% (p<0.0001). As reported by patients/caregivers, the chances of developing bowel dysfunctions increase sevenfold after stroke, 95% CI (2.44-24.26). The most frequent dysfunctions before stroke were intestinal constipation (73.91%) and diminished frequency of bowel movements (17.39%). After stroke, constipation remains to be the most frequent dysfunction reported (50%), followed by diminished frequency of bowel movements (26.79%), incomplete evacuation (12.50%), and lack of privacy (5.36%). The use of laxatives was 19,15% after the lesion, but not statisticaly significant (p=0.0736).Conclusion : Bowel dysfunctions increases significantly after stroke. Therefore, further studies are needed to better understand and characterize such dysfunctions, which are scarcely described in the literature.

Objective: Describe health conditions and life habits using Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 scores, with the aim of understanding the factors associated with the vulnerability of the elderly. Method: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Distrito Federal, Brazil. Data were collected by a questionnaire containing the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 and other variables. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses were carried out. Results: 956 people aged 60 years and older living in the Distrito Federal were interviewed. Of these, 32.4% had scores equal to or greater than three, and were therefore classified as vulnerable. Some variables exhibited a positive relation with VES-13 score, with intensity ranging from very weak, in the case of systemic arterial hypertension (p=0.035) and diabetes mellitus (p=0.027), to moderate, as was the case with depression (p<0.001), urinary loss (p<0.001) and falls (p<0.001). It was also observed that a 1% increase in the income of the elderly resulted in a reduction of 0.27 points (p<0,001) in Vulnerable Elders Survey score, reducing vulnerability. Conclusion: Depression most influenced vulnerability score, followed by urinary and hearing loss. Public policies aimed at the promotion of the physical and mental health of the elderly and the creation of a propitious environment to increase income, through reinsertion into the labor market or welfare policies, can help to reduce vulnerability.

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