Saúde cardíaca em pessoas idosas: avaliação da educação em saúde pelo enfermeiro na prevenção do infarto agudo do miocárdio

Abstract

As life expectancy increases, some illnesses are becoming more prevalent in this age group, and systemic arterial hypertension is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the elderly. The aim of this research was to analyze the effectiveness of health education provided by nurses in the prevention of acute myocardial infarction to promote better heart health among the elderly at the University of Maturity. This is a quasi-experimental study. The study included 49 elderly people enrolled at the Universidade da Maturidade who, after the application of questionnaires for identification and socio-economic characterization and the nurse's assessment, underwent a pre-test with the assessment form on cardiovascular health and quality of life. The educational intervention took into account the specific requirements of the elderly population, and was carried out in an interactive and collaborative way, with the aim of encouraging the acquisition of significant knowledge and the incorporation of self-care practices that favor a healthy and autonomous senescence. The participants were (57%) women and (43%) men with an average age of 69, (44.9%) were retired. The average AQUAREL score rose from 1.725 to 2.175 after the intervention. The domains assessed by the SF-36 pre- and post-intervention showed that functional capacity was reduced from 97.8 to 89.9. Physical aspects increased from 96.0 to 98.6. Pain decreased from 75.2 to 72.5. General state of health increased from 67.4 to 70.2. Vitality increased from 80.3 to 82.7. Social and emotional aspects showed some stability, while mental health rose slightly from 95.5 to 97.8 post-intervention. The educational workshops focused on heart health for the elderly at UMA proved to be not only an effective means of disseminating knowledge, but also a favorable setting for exchange, reflection and mutual strengthening. The interactivity present in these meetings challenges paradigms of the traditional educational approach, transforming it into an enriching collective experience.