Envelhecimento: autopercepção de idosos com indicativo de depressão

Abstract

Introduction: The Brazilian population is in an accelerated aging process. Aging generates biological changes, such as cellular deterioration, a decrease in physiological reserves, and consequently a high risk of the appearance of comorbidities, causing damage to the general condition of the elderly person. Among chronic diseases, there is a high number of elderly people with depression. In 2019, the age group with the highest rate of depression diagnosis was 60 to 64 years old (13.2%). It affects women more frequently, being the main cause of disability, and may lead to suicide. With this, the current demographic scenario triggers new demands. Thus, investigating the perception of elderly people about aging becomes essential to help managers plan actions on issues related to health, depression, and the aging process, to raise the quality of life of this population, mainly through prevention policies aimed at this specific public with education programs aimed at healthy living, promotion, and prevention of depressive symptoms and coping with aging. Objective: To analyze the self-perception of elderly people with signs of depression about aging. Method: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study with a qualitative approach. The study sample consisted of seven elderly people registered and attending the Geriatrics and Gerontology Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, from 2019 to March 2020. Mental State, the Geriatric Depression Scale, and a semi-structured interview about aging. The Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro approved the project under opinion n. 2.041.710. The interviews were analyzed using the thematic analysis proposed by Minayo with the help of the ATLAS. ti software. Results: After the analysis, three categories emerged, meaning of aging, as subcategories modifications of aging, positive and negative aspects; feelings about aging and the subcategories perceived emotions, spirituality, and strength of family relationships; and expectations regarding aging, and its subcategory family contact. Conclusion: Based on the results and experiences of this study, it is inferred that several factors affect the self-perception of aging in elderly people, such as physiological changes and family relationships, going beyond their psychological conditions, since all elderly women have signs of depression. This impaired view of aging ends up affecting the active and healthy aging of these elderly people, contributing to cognitive decline, and functional disability and making it difficult to integrate into society. Because of this, it is clear that health professionals, especially nurses, must pay attention to subjective information, which goes beyond what can be observed, in addition to the biomedical model, a holistic, welcoming, and attentive view, since the framework of elderly people's health, both physical and psychological, can be compromised by their self-perception of health.