Articles - Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem

ABSTRACT

Objectives:

to assess factors associated with vulnerability and fragility in the elderly.

Methods:

crosssectional study with 384 elderly people in Fortaleza, Ceará. The Vulnerable Elders Survey and Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index – 20 were used. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used for associations. In the analysis of the combined influence of risk factors, the stepwise logistic regression and multinomial regression methods were adopted.

Results:

251 (65.4%) non-vulnerable and 133 (34.6%) vulnerable elders. From the vulnerable elders analyzed, 42 (30.9%) are at high risk for frailty. Factors associated with vulnerability: age, gender, presence of comorbidities, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis and use of polypharmacy. There is a 30% increase in the chance of vulnerability for each additional drug. Physical activity reduces the chance of vulnerability by 60%. Factors associated with frailty: educational level; self-perception of health; comorbidities; polypharmacy.

Conclusions:

it is important to pay attention to the presence of arterial hypertension, osteoporosis, polypharmacy, and encourage the practice of physical activity.

ABSTRACT

Objectives:

to evaluate the care practice adopted by nursing technicians before, during and after peripheral intravenous catheterization performed in hospitalized children.

Methods:

cross-sectional and descriptive research, carried out in a pediatric hospital in Bahia through non-participatory observation of peripheral intravenous catheterizations performed in children by nursing technicians. Data was collected through an instrument containing care related to the moments before, during and after insertion of the catheter, calculating absolute and relative frequencies, measures of central tendency and dispersion.

Results:

there were 31 nursing technicians, who performed care mainly before intravenous catheterization. Nonconformities were identified regarding hand hygiene, use of a disposable mask, selection of the catheter insertion site, antisepsis, stabilization and catheter coverage.

Conclusions:

most of the precautions observed regarding peripheral intravenous catheterization are not in accordance with the standards of practice recommended by the national and international literature.

ABSTRACT

Objectives:

to evaluate two instruments for screening frailty in the elderly in Primary Health Care.

Methods:

this is an observational, cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, with 396 elderly people. SPSS software helped to perform the statistical analyses. The study used the kappa coefficient and Spearman’s correlation.

Results:

the kappa coefficient between the Clinical-Functional Vulnerability Index 20 and the Edmonton Frailty Scale was 0.496, considered moderate. There was a positive and significant correlation (r = 0.77; p < 0.001) between the frailty conditions and the total score of the two instruments.

Conclusions:

when this article assessed fragility through the kappa coefficient, both instruments presented positive correlation and agreement. However, the identification of frailty was higher when it used the Edmonton Frailty Scale.

ABSTRACT

Objectives:

to analyze the reasons and motives that initiates the decision to choose a cesarean section, by describing the plots, power relationships, struggles, and systems of truths regarding this method of childbirth.

Methods:

a qualitative study, inserted into a poststructuralist perspective, and conducted in a city in southern Rio Grande do Sul state. The settings were a teaching hospital and home residences. Thirteen postpartum women who had a cesarean section participated. The analysis consisted of questions based on the information produced and articulated with Foucauldian theories.

Results:

two categories were developed: “I wanted a vaginal delivery, but it was a cesarean section”, and, “Are you sure you want a vaginal delivery: paths and detours in the choice of cesarean section”.

Final Considerations:

the study allowed us to identify problems in the choice for a cesarean section, which is associated with the circulation of “truths” that occur via discourses on society.

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To analyze caregivers’ knowledge about prevention of domestic accidents in early childhood and its association with education level.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study conducted in a Primary Care Unit in Niterói with caregivers (convenience sample) of children under 6 years old. To classify the knowledge, we adopted the Positivity Index; to verify the association between the variable “schooling” and knowledge, the chi square test was used; statistically significant results: p < 0.05.

Results:

A total of 256 caregivers participated; 93.5% showed adequate knowledge. In the individual items, the knowledge (100%) about prevention of accidents with sharp toys, firearms, intoxication by products stood out; and less frequently (64.5%), the knowledge of the information contained in the Child’s Health Booklet. There was no statistically significant association (p = 0.237) between education and knowledge. Conclusion: The caregivers presented knowledge about the prevention of domestic accidents, and this was not associated with the level of education.

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To verify the association between adherence to antiretroviral treatment by adults with HIV/AIDS and sociodemographic factors, social and clinical support.

Methods:

Cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach. Participation of 230 patients. Questionnaires of sociodemographic characterization, social and clinical support, and assessment of adherence to antiretroviral treatment were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed.

Results:

Adherence was classified as good/adequate. An association with sex, income, employment, and level of education was noted. In social support: having access to health services; communication with health professionals; health education; having support to allow venting/talking about issues; information on HIV/AIDS; and company for leisure. In the clinical profile: non-interruption of the drug treatment due to absence from the service or due to changes in the medical prescription.

Conclusion:

Adherence was classified as good/adequate and especially associated with social support factors, which should be enhanced in clinical practice.