SELF-REPORTED DIABETES IN ELDERLY: COMPARISON OF PREVALENCES, CONTROL MEASURES AND HEALTH PROMOTION PRACTICES, SÃO PAULO-BRAZIL

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus is one of the major diseases affecting elderly population and its increasing prevalence and high levels of morbimortality configure it as a worldwide epidemic. The aim was to study diabetes prevalence according to sociodemographic variables in the city of São Paulo in 2003 and 2008; compare these two years in relation to diabetes prevalence and adoption of control measures for disease control. 

METHODS: Data from two cross-sectional population-based health surveys (ISA-Capital 2003 and 2008). Data analysis was carried out by comparison of prevalences at two different times and their 95% confidence intervals. When there was overlap between the confidence intervals, it was performed a combined dataset. Subsequently, Chi-squared test was carried out. Variables without overlaps between the confidence intervals were not tested.   

RESULTS: In 2003, the prevalence of diabetes among elderly was 17.6% (95%CI:14.9-20.6) and in 2008 20.1% (95%CI:17.3-23.1), suggesting an increase in the period (p value close to the limit of significance). Furthermore, diabetes prevalence was lower in elderly with education and income being higher. Among the adopted means to control diabetes, oral medication routine had the highest prevalences, 61.0% in 2003 and 71.8% in 2008; followed by balanced diet, 52.1% in 2003 and 61.0% in 2008. There was a low physical activity level, 2.0% in 2003 (95%CI:0.3-13.2) and 13.4% in 2008 (95%CI:7.7-22.4); despite it was found a significant difference in the period (p=0.029).  

CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes is a complex and challenging disease, both for the elder, the society and for health systems. Still, actions are needed to encourage health promotion practices, since they had lower prevalence in comparison to oral medication routine. It proves investments in public health policies are necessary. These results strengthen the importance that these changes are essential for improving a healthy lifestyle, since it affects positively on diabetics elderly life quality.