A reflexion on health care for older people in Brazil

Abstract

Brazil comes across medical services prosecution, formely limited to the industrialized countries. The study aimed to reflect upon the health care for older people in Brazil. Bibliographic research comprised between 1990 and 2006, in LILACS data base. In Brazil, although there are problems due to the poverty and lack of access to health by many people, and to the difficult access, illiteracy, instable economy, the investment in vaccines over the years and the support of technology propitiated the increase in life expectancy.  This increase, however, resulted in more prevalence and incidence of diseases and chronic conditions that culminated, many times, with hospital internments and reinternments of older people. Factors involved in the internments are: Chronic degenerative diseases and, consequently, generated incapacities and lack adequate ambulatory services.  Factors involved in the internments are: Seasons of the year; difficulties in attend UBS to controls and follow-up, using prescribed drugs and appropriate food, many times, by the dependence of a member of the family and illiteracy.  The knowledge of factors included in the internments and re-internments make us responsible for making part of changes that make possible the better life quality to the elders of the future.