Social Determinants of Health and Clinical-Functional Vulnerability in the elderly in a community in Vitória-ES

Abstract

Objective: To verify the association between Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index (CFVI) in the elderly at a Family Health Unit (FHU) in Vitória-ES. It is a cross-sectional observational study with 241 elderly people. Materials and Method: The SDH were evaluated in three layers, in the first, individual characteristics (age, sex, ethnicity), in the second, behavioral characteristics (smoking and drinking habits, physical and leisure activity, health self-assessment and marital status); in the third, social characteristics (living alone, number of residents, multigenerational residence, education and activity at the FHU). The CFVI -20 assessed vulnerability, according to a score: 0-6, low risk; 7-14, moderate; and ≥ 15, high. Descriptive analysis with tables of absolute and relative frequencies and inferential analysis using chi-square test. Results: Of the 241 elderly, 37% had a low degree of vulnerability, 36% moderate and 27% high. Most of them were female, between 60-69 years old, self-declared black and brown, married and with low education. In addition, there was an association between vulnerability and age group, drinking habits, physical activity and self-rated health. Conclusions: There was an association of SDH with the vulnerability. Therefore, it is necessary to implement public policies for the elderly of different age groups that act directly in the SDH.