Concomitante com o processo de envelhecimento existe um declínio da saúde física dos indivíduos, por interação de inúmeros fatores, interferindo com as suas atividades de vida diária e qualidade de vida. Desta forma, é essencial promover uma avaliação multidimensional que permita identificar esses fatores e intervir precocemente. Avaliar a capacidade funcional na área de saúde física da população com idade ≥ 75 anos do concelho de Coimbra. Estudo quantitativo, descritivo e correlacional, com amostra probabilística (estratificada por sexo, idade e área de residência), constituída por 1.153 indivíduos. Foi utilizado o Questionário de Avaliação Funcional Multidimensional para Idosos. A avaliação da área de saúde física comporta o número de consultas médicas, a prescrição de medicamentos, as patologias referidas e sua interferência nas atividades, a autoperceção da visão e audição, o consumo de álcool, a prática de atividade física e a autoavaliação da saúde física. Relativamente às consultas médicas, 89,5% dos participantes (90,0% dos homens e 89,2% das mulheres) referiram ter tido pelo menos uma consulta, num período de 6 meses. A hipertensão arterial foi a patologia mais referida (51,6%), seguida da artrite ou reumatismo (49,5%). Quanto à visão e audição, 24,8 e 26,8%, respetivamente, responderam que estava mal. As mulheres e os participantes ≥ 85 anos são os que avaliam a sua saúde física mais negativamente. O conhecimento da capacidade funcional produzido nesta área de estudo, conjugado com a rede de cuidados de saúde primários, pode ser útil no rastreio, no encaminhamento e na resolução de situações de incapacidade. Concurrent with the aging process there is a decline of the individuals’ physical health, by the interaction of numerous factors, which interferes with their activities of daily living and quality of life. Thus, it is essential to promote a multidimensional assessment to identify those factors and intervene early. To assess the functional status in physical health area of individuals aged 75 years old or more from Coimbra. Quantitative, descriptive and correlational study with a random sample (stratified by gender, age and area of residence), composed by 1153 individuals. The questionnaire used was the Questionário de Avaliação Funcional Multidimensional para Idosos. The evaluation of physical health area involves number of physician visits, prescribed drugs, pathologies mentioned and their interference with activities, self‐evaluation vision and hearing, consumption of alcohol, and self‐rated physical health. In a period of six months, 89.5% of participants (90.0% men and 89.2% women) reported having had at least one physician visit. Hypertension was the most referred pathology (51.6%), followed by arthritis or rheumatism (49.5%). As for vision and hearing, 24.8% and 26.8%, respectively, answered that was poor. The women and individuals ≥85 years evaluated more negatively their physical health. The knowledge of the functional capacity produced in this study area, conjugated with primary health care network, may be useful for screening, routing and addressing situations of disability.

Adolescent motherhood as a cultural phenomenon represents an excellent test for human understanding, when studied through a network of meanings. This study aimed to identify the semantics regularity used by adolescents in pregnancy-childbirth cycle about motherhood at this stage of life. Descriptive study with 317 free word association tests with adolescents in pregnancy-childbirth cycle, analyzed through descriptive statistics and correspondence factor analysis. Ethical precepts were followed. Signs assumed principles with multiple, but complementary, characteristics according to how participants signified them, identifying with representational bias. The word was the unit for apprehending the content in context. The educational model of motherhood at this stage of life was structured as positive, neutral, or negative. Feelings of happiness and affection permeated evocations of being a mother, giving the idea of virtue with motherhood. In contradiction, it was anchored by the difficulty of developing this role in adolescence. Thus, there is urgent need for proper monitoring of adolescents, from prenatal to postpartum, since it carries knowledge that, when included in everyday life, provides congruent care in identity construction of being an adolescent or expectant mother.

Estudo descritivo-correlacional com enfase na analise das diferencas de genero atendendo a variaveis sociodemograficas, aos recursos sociais e economicos de pessoas muito idosas, utilizando o Questionario de Avaliacao Funcional Multidimensional para Idosos (QAFMI/OARS). Dos resultados, distinguem-se as mulheres em relacao aos homens, com piores classificacoes nas areas funcionais estudadas, predominando niveis de literacia inferiores, estado civil de viuvez, e recursos economicos mais baixos.

Introduction The geriatric assessment should include the physical, cognitive, emotional and social functional status, allowing a concrete understanding of the oldest old realities for a better health planning. Objectives To assess the functional status in main areas of the elderly's life: social resources, economic resources, mental health, physical health and activities of daily living (ADL). Aims Provide information to health and social policy makers and improve the quality of care, adapting the training of nurses to this new social and health reality. Methods The randomized, stratified (age and gender) sample consisted of individuals aged ≥75, randomly selected and representative of Coimbra's (Portugal) elder residents ( n =11,279; n =1128). The instrument for data collection was the Questionario de Avaliacao Funcional Multidimensional para Idosos/Older Americans Resources and Services (QAFMI/OARS). Results In the social resources, there are significant differences between gender ( P P P Conclusions The results will play an important role in the decisions of the technicians at Health Centres to the planning of older care services and will be disseminate among the responsible entities aiming the improvement of the current policies.

Adolescent motherhood as a cultural phenomenon represents an excellent test for human understanding, when studied through a network of meanings. This study aimed to identify the semantics regularity used by adolescents in pregnancy-childbirth cycle about motherhood at this stage of life. Descriptive study with 317 free word association tests with adolescents in pregnancy-childbirth cycle, analyzed through descriptive statistics and correspondence factor analysis. Ethical precepts were followed. Signs assumed principles with multiple, but complementary, characteristics according to how participants signified them, identifying with representational bias. The word was the unit for apprehending the content in context. The educational model of motherhood at this stage of life was structured as positive, neutral, or negative. Feelings of happiness and affection permeated evocations of being a mother, giving the idea of virtue with motherhood. In contradiction, it was anchored by the difficulty of developing this role in adolescence. Thus, there is urgent need for proper monitoring of adolescents, from prenatal to postpartum, since it carries knowledge that, when included in everyday life, provides congruent care in identity construction of being an adolescent or expectant mother.

Introduction Population aging and changes in the epidemiological pattern and the social and family structure, observed in Portugal, with a particular focus at the local level, determine new needs for which it is urgent to organize appropriate and active responses. The Community Care Unit (UCC Chamusca/Golega) and the Municipality of Chamusca decided to carry out this project in order to make the diagnosis of the situation in social and health of the elderly population. Objectives Assess the use/need of health and social services by the elderly, related with their functional status in social resources, economic resources, mental health, physical health and activities of daily living. Aim Assess the functional status in mental health to implement an individual monitoring plan. Methods Quantitative methodology using the Questionario de Avaliacao Funcional Multidimensional para Idosos/Older Americans Resources and Services (QAFMI/OARS). The sample consisted of individuals aged≥65, randomly selected and representative of Chamusca's elder residents ( n =2768; n =1868). Results Results showed that in mental health, there isn't a significant difference classification between genders in the different aged groups. There is only statistically significant difference between age groups, with the group of 85 and over who have worse results. Conclusions The work developed with QAFMI/OARS lead us to consider this instrument very useful to define functional status of the elders in specific evaluation areas as mental health, becoming right to the planning of older care services.

The World Health Organization recognizes the gender as an ageing determinant. Thus, apart from biological differences, there is a need of a gender approach in health that includes an analysis of how differences in gender roles affect the health status. To assess the functional status in two areas of the elderly's life (mental and physical health), analyzing the impact of gender as a determinant of health in aging. Quantitative and descriptive study. Probabilistic sample stratified by age, gender and area of residence, constituted by 1153 older persons aged ≥75 years (N=16474), consisting of 422 men (36.6%) and 731 women (63.4%). The instrument for data collection was the Questionário de Avaliação Funcional Multidimensional para Idosos/Older Americans Resources and Services (QAFMI/OARS). With regard to gender differences in the areas of physical and mental health the results evaluated with the QAFMI/OARS model stand women with worse scores in this two functional areas. Although men, and especially the older age group, mentioned that have had more need for a physician visit. Related to mental health the self-evaluation is worse in women, and also in the assessment of the QAFMI/OARS model, were it was a notorious difference between genders, observing a decline in mental health among women. The feminization of aging implies an adequate public policies and the organization of health services, and social support, based on the understanding of the differences between aging as a man and as woman.

Theoretical framework: When translated into population ageing, the demographic transition process imposes an adaptation of the healthcare and social services to the needs and expectations of the elderly. The definition of interventions requires a multidimensional functional assessment. Objectives: To assess the functional capacity of individuals aged 75 years and older from the municipality of Coimbra in five areas (social resources, economic resources, mental health, physical health and activities of daily living). Methodology: Quantitative, descriptive and correlational study, with a sample of 1153 individuals. The Questionário de Avaliação Funcional Multidimensional para Idosos was used to classify the participants from excellent to totally impaired in each functional area. Results: The participants were classified with severe or total impairment in the following areas: 12.5% in social resources; 15.4% in economic resources; 16.0% in mental health; 45.6% in physical health; and 23.6% in activities of daily living. Women and individuals aged 85 years and older usually had lower scores. Conclusion: The multidimensional assessment provides data for an integrated intervention of healthcare and social services, taking into account gender and age differences.

multidimensional.Objetivos: Avaliar a capacidade funcional em cinco áreas (recursos sociais, recursos económicos, saúde mental, saúde física e atividades de vida diária) da população com idade ≥75 anos do concelho de Coimbra.Metodologia: Estudo quantitativo, descritivo e correlacional, com amostra constituída por 1153 indivíduos.Foi utilizado o Questionário de Avaliação Funcional Multidimensional para Idosos classificando os participantes,

The progressive aging of the population in contemporary societies leads to the necessary adjustment to the responses of health care services. The project The Oldest Old: Coimbra aging study (PTDC/CS-SOC/114895/2009) assesses an elderly population enrolled in Health Centres of Coimbra - Portugal. The QAFMI/OARS is recognized as the first elderly multidimensional assessment, being one of the areas the mental health. Assess the use/need of health and social services by the elderly, related with their functional status in five areas (social resources, economic resources, mental health, physical health and activities of daily living). Assess the use/need felt for health and social services by the elderly, related with the functional status in mental health. Quantitative methodology using the QAFMI/OARS. The sample consisted of individuals aged 75, or more, randomly selected and representative of Coimbra's elder residents (N=11279; n=1128). Mental health status was evaluated using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule and a self-evaluation. Preliminary results showed that in physical health, ADL and economic resources there are significant differences between age groups. In mental health, there is a significant difference classification between genders, with a tendentiously lower score in women. In social resources, there is a significant difference classification between gender and age group. The work developed with OARS/QAFMI lead us to consider this instrument very useful to define functional status of the elders in specific evaluation areas as mental health, becoming right to the planning of older care services.

IntroductionThe project “The Oldest Old: Coimbra aging study”’ (PTDC/CS-SOC/114895/2009) will be carried out based on an elderly population enrolled in Health Centers of the Municipality of Coimbra, Portugal. One of the areas in study is the mental health. This approach is complex due to the effects caused by changes occurring throughout life.ObjectivesEvaluate the mental health status of Coimbra's elderly population applying the OARS/QAFMI (Older Americans Resources and Services/ Questionário de Avaliação Funcional Multidimensional para Idosos) questionnaire.AimsAssess the use and need felt for health services and social support by the elderly, related with their functional status in mental health.MethodsQuantitative methodology using the QAFMI/OARS. The sample consisted of individuals aged 75, or more, randomly selected and representative of Coimbra's elder residents, to achieve 10% of the population. Their mental health status was evaluated using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule (SPES) and a self-evaluation.ResultsThe preliminary results showed that the majority of the individuals had scored a “good mental health” status. The female had tendentiously lower scores of the mental health status than the males with the same age. The oldest individuals (≥85 years old) had also scored lower results than the ones with 75-84 years old.ConclusionsThe results obtained with the OARS/QAFMI indicated a cognitive decline, with differences between gender and age of the individuals being the females and oldest individuals the ones to score the worst mental status.