Envelhecimento e o impacto da espiritualidade, religiosidade e fé na satisfação pessoal, percepção da saúde e qualidade de vida

Abstract

According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE, 2018), the epidemiological process related to the populational ageing in our country is a challenge, since it is associated to social security, health, social assistance and the care with the integration of the elderly. Objectives: To determine if there is a difference about quality of life in the three settings/groups studied. To assess the perception and feelings of the elderly in relation to the effects of aging and death. To evaluate the impact of spirituality, religiosity and faith on personal satisfaction, health perception and quality of life of the elderlies. Casuistic and Methods: This is a descriptive study with both quantitative and qualitative approaches of an analytical nature with correlation between the variables. Results: Comparing the differences between the mean WHOQOL-OLD scores obtained by the elderlies in hospitals, asylums , and in a random sample; the results have showed significant differences for the following criteria: independence, past, present and future activities, social participation, death and dying, intimacy and for the score, in general. The lowest mean score for the general quality of life (WHOQOL-OLD) was observed in the nursing home group. Regarding the analysis of mean scores obtained by the elderlies in WHOQOL-SRPB in hospitals, asylums and randomly; the results showed significant differences between the groups studied for the domains meaning of life, astonishment, totality/integration and for global SRPB. The lowest average value of the global quality of life score (WHOQOL-SRPB) was observed in asylum. To assess the impact of spirituality and faith on the quality of life of the elderlies analyzed in this study, Pearson's correlation test was applied, which showed that the influence of spirituality and faith on the quality of life of the elderlies, despite its existence, is low. Likewise, the perception and feelings of the elderlies regarding the effects of aging and the fear of death were correlated. Conclusions: When comparing the three groups of elderlies in different settings; hospitals, asylum and randomly using WHOQOL-OLD and WHOQOL-SRPB instruments; the results showed significant differences between them. The lowest average life score was in the asylum group. There is evidence that the influence of spirituality and faith in the quality of life of the elderly, despite its existence, is low.