Analysis of the singing voice handicap index for elderly choristers.

Purpose: To analyze the singing voice handicap index in elderly choristers and verify its relationship with the profile, habits and health conditions of the participants.

Methods: 110 individuals aged 60 years or older, participating in amateur choirs, were included. Choir singers were interviewed in order to verify data such as age, time in choir singing, vocal classification, and the presence of habits and health conditions adverse to voice production.

Assessing health system responsiveness to the needs of older people.

Objective: To identify key indicators that will allow empirical measurement of a health system's responsiveness to older people.

Methods: We conducted a series of consultations with experts to develop a relevant list of indicators. Concept mapping was used to devise the list, including the steps of preparation, brainstorming and structuring.

[Family dysfunction in nonagenarians and centenarians: the importance of health conditions and social support].

The scope of this study is to evaluate factors related to family dysfunction (FD) among 227 randomly selected nonagenarians and centenarians in Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, who were visited and assessed in their homes. FD was evaluated by the "Family APGAR score," being considered with FD from 0 to 6, and without FD from 7 to 10 in this study. Sociodemographic and economic data, physical functionality, health self-perception, comorbidities, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, social support and interaction were evaluated.

Comparison of prevalence of diabetes complications in Brazilian and Mexican adults: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Type 2 diabetes is more frequent in Latin American people than in non-Hispanic whites due to a combination of genetic and lifestyle risk factors. Brazil and Mexico are the most populous countries in Latin America. The present study aimed to compare the results of the National Health Survey "PNS" in Brazil and the National Survey Health and Nutrition "ENSANUT" in Mexico regarding the prevalence, complications and healthcare issues of diabetes in both countries.

Development and accuracy of a hearing screening application.

Introduction: Hearing impairment, or hearing loss, can be caused by several factors and the implications vary according to the type, degree, cause and age of occurrence. Hearing screening should be a common procedure, allowing the pre-clinical identification and necessary referrals, avoiding the consequences of auditory deprivation. Mobile apps have shown to be a good alternative for hearing assessment.

Influence of Age on Factors associated with Peri-implant Bone Loss after Prosthetic Rehabilitation over Osseointegrated Implants.

Introduction: To verify the influence of age on factors associated with peri-implant bone loss after prosthetic rehabilitation over osseointegrated implants.

Materials And Methods: This is an analytical, observational, and longitudinal study with initial 23 participants. Patients presenting with osseointegrated implants with their respective prostheses installed were included, and they could be carriers of chronic and degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, hypothyroidism, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and systemic arterial hypertension.

Profile and prevalence of hearing complaints in the elderly.

Introduction: Hearing is essential for the processing of acoustic information and the understanding of speech signals. Hearing loss may be associated with cognitive decline, depression and reduced functionality.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of hearing complaints in elderly individuals from Rio Grande do Sul and describe the profile of the study participants with and without hearing complaints.

Factors associated with health-related decision-making in older adults from Southern Brazil.

Aim: To analyze older adults' health-related decision-making profile.

Methods: Secondary analysis of a population-based study with 6945 older-adults (aged ≥60 years) in Southern Brazil. Multiple logistic regressions were calculated to describe the odds of deciding alone or asking for advice, compared with the chance of letting someone else decide about health-related issues.

[Seasonal differences in falls and fractures among the elderly in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul].

Falls and fractures in the elderly represent a significant public health problem, associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality, reduction of functional capacity, institutionalization of the elderly and early death. The scope of this study was to investigate falls and fractures in the elderly living in the metropolitan and mountainous region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, analyzing the associated factors, seasonality and severity thereof. It is a cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive, analytical and quantitative study of the elderly attended for falls from January 1 to December 31 of 2010 using secondary data from emergency units of the Brazilian Unified Health System.

[Clinical characteristics and social determinants in a sample of non-homebound elderly].

This study aimed to assess social and clinical factors associated with the fact that older adults (≥ 60 years) go out of their homes. The study interviewed 5,898 older adults identified through home visits, randomly selected in 59 cities in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between the outcome and independent variables.

[The perception of the young and long-lived elderly 'Gauchos' (from the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) about the public spaces they live in Resumo].

By 2050, the number of Brazilians living in urban areas will be over 200 million and 29% of the population will be elderly. The long-lived elderly are 80 or more years old and the young elderly are between 60 and 79 years of age. The scope of this article was to verify the difference in perception between the young elderly and the long-lived elderly from Rio Grande do Sul (RS) about the urban environment they live in.

The relationship between falls and psychological well-being in a Brazilian community sample.

In Brazil and in the United States, one in three older adults fall each year. Falling can lead to devastating outcomes for older adults, their families and health care systems. Research has identified many risk factors for falls, including physical and environmental hazards.

[Drug prescriptions of patients treated in a geriatric outpatient ward of a university hospital: a descriptive cross-sectional study].

The scope of this study was to evaluate drug prescriptions for elderly patients in the geriatric outpatient ward of a hospital. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in a university hospital, with the application of a questionnaire. Patients aged >60 years were interviewed about their drug prescriptions and a total of 208 patients were interviewed.

Sensitivity and specificity of portable hearing screening in middle-aged and older adults.

Introduction Hearing screening allows the identification of individuals with hearing loss. Aim To determine the sensitivity and specificity of a portable hearing screening device in middle-aged and older adults using the manufacturer scoring and a scoring system proposed by the researchers. Methods In this transversal study, participants underwent anamnesis, otoscopy, and hearing screening using portable equipment.

[Social and environmental factors associated with the occurrence of falls in the elderly].

This article seeks to investigate environmental aspects that may be associated with falls among elderly residents in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is a population-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study, with primary data collection taken from an epidemiological study entitled A Profile of the Elderly in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The study was conducted between the years of 2010 and 2011 with 6751 elderly individuals in 59 cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

[Vaccine coverage related to lower mortality for respiratory diseases].

Respiratory infections are a group of diseases commonly related to the elderly, since the influenza virus is one of the main etiological agents. Vaccination of these individuals is considered by the World Health Organization to be the most effective strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality from the disease. Brazil has sought in recent years to vaccinate 80% of the target population.

Bone mineral density, metabolic syndrome, and vitamin D in indigenous from south of Brazil.

Unlabelled: Bone mineral density (BMD), metabolic syndrome (MS), and vitamin D levels were evaluated in 73 indigenous from south of Brazil aged between 40 and 86 years. BMD loss in lumbar spine was detected in 63 %, MS was detected in 76.7 %, and vitamin D levels were altered in 67 % of subjects.

[Socioeconomic and demographic indicators associated with functional disability in the elderly].

This study analyzed the prevalence of functional disability in the elderly and its association with socioeconomic and demographic factors. This was a population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 631 elders (≥ 60 years). The Katz index and Lawton scale, respectively, were used to evaluate basic and instrumental activities of daily living.

Is sleep apnea a winter disease?: meteorologic and sleep laboratory evidence collected over 1 decade.

Background: The severity of obstructive sleep apnea increases by influence of conditions that are more frequent in winter. The hypothesis that the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of different patients undergoing polysomnography may be seasonally affected was tested.

Methods: The retrospectively analyzed database included 7,523 patients of both sexes who underwent in-laboratory baseline polysomnography to investigate any complaint of disordered sleep, during 1 decade, between January 2000 and December 2009.

Sleep apnea is a stronger predictor for coronary heart disease than traditional risk factors.

Background: Sleep apnea (SA) may be linked to coronary artery disease (CAD). Both conditions have similar risk factors, confounding the analyses. Investigation of the lipid profile is routine in the adult population, even without symptoms or suspected cardiac ailment.

[Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in indigenous people over 40 years of age in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) among indigenous people older than 40 years of age from two cities in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil.

Methods: A descriptive, analytic, cross-sectional study was conducted in two municipalities, Porto Alegre and Nonoai, between July and August 2009. A total of 150 indigenous people older than 40 years of age (range: 40-104 years), participated in the study.

High risk for sleep apnea in the Berlin questionnaire and coronary artery disease.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects up to 30% of the adult population and is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). The diagnostic process, involving polysomnography, may be complex. Berlin questionnaire (BQ) is a validated and economical screening tool.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of a low-fat diet in the prevention of breast and ovarian cancer.

Background: Results of the Women's Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Dietary Modification Trial (WHI-DM) suggest that a low-fat diet may be associated with beneficial health outcomes for specific groups of women.

Objective: The objective is to assess how cost-effective the WHI-DM would be if implemented as a public health intervention and under the sponsorship of private health insurers and Medicare. Breast and ovarian cancers are the health outcomes of interest.