Abstract
This paper aims to determine the health care needs of individuals aged 60 or more and who live in a Family Health Program area. This cross-sectional study has been carried out with 301 elderly (65,3%) of the total population in the area. The data collecting tool was built aiming at multidimensional evaluation that makes possible to identify the following health care needs: functional, social, emotional and environmental. Among the interviewed elderly, 129 (42,9%) are 60 to 69 years old; 186 (61,8%) are women; 207 (68,1%) are illiterate or have attended incomplete elementary school; 111 (36,9%) live without the partners; 149 (49,5%) do not carry out any activity; 218 (72,4%) are considered poor or very poor and 161 (53,3%) live just from their pension. About one fourth of them present depression symptoms, diminished cognition and various dependence degrees. They present 2.5 diagnoses and use an average 2.9 drugs/elderly. The elderly present intense and complex health care needs, which require planning actions with interdisciplinary teams. This is a great challenge to be faced.
Key words:
Health Services Needs and Demand; Frail Elderly; Family Health; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Services Evaluation; Needs Assessment; Patient Care Team; Family Health Program; Elderly's Health; Level of Health; Geriatric Assessment.