Território e envelhecimento ativo: qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde de idosos em programas de unidades básicas de saúde em Santos/SP

Abstract

Population aging in Brazil poses significant challenges for public health policies, requiring strategies aimed at promoting active aging. In this context, Basic Health Units (UBS) play a central role by offering programs that seek to improve the quality of life of the elderly population. This study aimed to evaluate the health-related quality of life of elderly individuals participating in active aging programs at Basic Health Units in Santos, São Paulo. It was a quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive study involving 51 elderly participants from active aging programs at three UBS facilities in the municipality of Santos. Data collection was carried out using the SF-36 questionnaire, complemented by a sociodemographic instrument. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test was used to compare the units, adopting a 5% significance level. The results indicated higher mean scores in the domains of Social Functioning, Role-Physical, and Mental Health, whereas the General Health domain showed the lowest performance. Statistically significant differences were observed between the UBS facilities in the domains of Physical Functioning, Social Functioning, and Role-Emotional. It is concluded that the participants' health-related quality of life varies across the evaluated domains and the analyzed units, suggesting the importance of the territorial context in the aging experience. The findings contribute to the improvement of strategies for promoting active aging within the scope of Primary Health Care.