Estratégias de enfrentamento, difi culdades

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ARTIGO ARTICLE

Estratégias de enfrentamento, dificuldades funcionais e fatores associados em idosos institucionalizados Coping strategies, functional difficulties, and associated factors in institutionalized elderly

Analise de Souza Vivan 1
Irani Iracema de Lima Argimon 1

Abstract
1 Pontifícia Universidade
Católica de Porto Alegre,
Porto Alegre, Brasil.

Correspondência
A. S. Vivan
Pontifícia Universidade
Católica de Porto Alegre.
Av. Protásio Alves 658, apto. 03, Porto Alegre, RS
90410-004, Brasil. [e-mail] Introdução

The aim of this study was to analyze the strategies used by elderly people to cope with functional difficulties, and to investigate a possible association between such strategies and variables like depressive symptoms, gender, schooling, marital status, and self-perceived health. 103 institutionalized elderly individuals participated in the study.
They required assistance for at least one activity of daily living. The study was cross-sectional and used the following indicators: Personal Data
Chart, Activities of Daily Living Scale, Modified
Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview,
Mini-Mental Examination, Coping Strategies
Inventory, and Geriatric Depression Scale. The most widely used coping strategies in the sample were self-control and problem solving. Significant associations were found between schooling and depression. The findings suggest that assessing coping strategies for stressful events can assist analysis of the situation and appropriate adaptation of the chosen strategies, so as to foster changes within the medical context.

De acordo com dados do Instituto Brasileiro de
Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) 1, a população de idosos vem aumentando nos últimos anos. Estudos apontam uma queda da natalidade e um número crescente de idosos. No ano de 2000, 30% da população estava situada na faixa etária de 0 a
14 anos, enquanto os maiores de 65 anos representavam 5% dos