Is there a difference between the lifestyle of hypertensive adults and elderly in the Family Health Program?

DOI: 10.15343/0104-7809.20184202301315

Abstract

Consequences of negative lifestyle behaviors may be different between adults and elderly, especially for hypertensive individuals. Therefore, this study compared the lifestyle of a group of hypertensive adults and elderly enrolled in the Family Health Program (FHP) of the city of Patos-PB. In a descriptive and cross-sectional study, 97 hypertensive patients of both sexes were randomly selected from FHPs and divided based on the age into two groups: Adults (<60 years, n= 44) and Elderly (≥60 years, n= 53). Lifestyle was assessed by the Individual Lifestyle Profile Scale (ILPS) composed of five components: Nutrition, Physical Activity, Preventive Behavior, Social Relationship and Stress Control. Each component was classified as negative (≤3 points) or positive (≥4 points). The ILPS scores were compared between the groups by the Mann-Whitney U test. Associations between component profiles and age groups were verified using the Chi-square test. Results showed that the Elderly presented a higher proportion of positive ILPS compared to Adults (P≤ 0.05), respectively, for Nutrition (n= 42, 79.2% vs. n= 26, 59.1%) and for Social Relationship (n= 49, 92.5% vs. n= 34, 77.3%). It is concluded that the Elderly were more conducive to a healthier lifestyle than the Adults. Because both age groups present a predominance of a negative profile in Physical Activity, it is suggested that the subjects adhere to the practice of physical exercise as a non-drug treatment, reducing the risk factors associated with hypertension.