Clinical profile and health service use in the elderly/Perfil clinico e uso de servicos de saude em idosos/Perfil clinico y uso de servicios de salud en ancianos

Introduction: Information on medical and functional profiles and other factors associated with healthcare services use by the elderly can be helpful in planning prevention and direct care actions for this population. Objectives: To describe the community-dwelling elderly's clinical profile, presenting the prevalence of chronic diseases and health problems. A correlation between pathology conditions, health services use, and sociodemographic characteristics was also verified. Methods: Research done in the FIBRA-JF Study, conducted with 426 elderly ([greater than or equal to] 65 years) from Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil. Sociodemographic, chronic disease, health conditions, and health services use data were obtained by self-report. Results: The clinical sample presented elderly without major functional loss, with arterial hypertension being the most common disease (37.9%). Heart diseases (p = 0.072) and cancer (p = 0.013) were prevalent in men, while rheumatoid arthritis (p = 0.002), depression (p = 0.040), urinary incontinence (p = 0.037), and osteoporosis (p < 0.001) were prevalent in women. Bone fractures due to falls were more common in the 85 years old or more group, compared to the other groups (p = 0.003). Private health insurance coverage access was high (60.2%), which was associated with more medical appointments (p = 0.01). Conclusions: The results were compatible with reported in literature. Private health insurance access was broader, compared to the average of the elderly population in Brazil, which may explain the freuquent use of health services such as medical appointments and hospitalizations.. Keywords: Health; Health services; Aging. Introducao: Conhecer o perfil clinico-funcional e os fatores associados ao uso de servicos de saude entre idosos pode auxiliar profissionais no desenvolvimento de acoes preventivas e de cuidado voltadas para esta populacao. Objetivo: Descrever o perfil clinico de idosos da comunidade, apresentando as prevalencias das doencas cronicas e agravos a saude. Verificou-se tambem a associacao das condicoes patologicas com o uso de servicos de saude e com caracteristicas sociodemograficas. Materiais e metodos: Inquerito realizado no Estudo FIBRA-JF, conduzido com 426 idosos (>65 anos) do municipio de Juiz de Fora-MG. Os dados sociodemograficos, de diagnosticos das doencas cronicas, de agravos e de uso de servicos de saude foram obtidos por autorrelato. Resultados: O perfil clinico da amostra apresentou idosos sem grandes pr