The influence of self-perceived health status, social support and depression on self-efficacy among Brazilian elderly people

Abstract

espanolEl objetivo de este estudio fue identificar los predictores psicosociales de la autoeficacia general en una muestra de ancianos brasilenos. La autoeficacia ha ido reportada como una variable de gran importancia para la salud de las personas mayores. Entre las personas mayores, los niveles mas altos de autoeficacia se asocian con menor incapacidad, malestar psicologico, sintomas depresivos, buena salud percibida y mayor adaptacion al dolor. En este estudio participaron 144 pacientes de la Unidad Basica de Salud en Granja do Torto (Brasilia, Brasil). La muestra era consecutiva. Los datos fueron recogidos a traves de un cuestionario que incluyo preguntas sociodemograficas (color, edad, educacion, estado civil, situacion laboral y numero de personas de otras generaciones con las que mora) y escalas para las dimensiones psicosociales estudiadas (estado de salud autopercibido, apoyo social percibido, depresion y autoeficacia general). La muestra estaba constituida mayoritariamente por mujeres (58.3%). La edad promedio era de 69.3 anos (SD= 6.61), con edades que oscilaban entre 60 y 89 anos. La mayoria eran blancos y morenos, con menos de 8 anos de educacion; tenian un companero estable, vivian con familiares de otra generacion y no trabajaban (estaban jubilados). El estado de salud autopercibido, el apoyo social percibido y la depresion explicaron el 37.2% de la varianza (ΔF (3, 140)= 29.20, p= .000). Los participantes que tenian un nivel mas alto de apoyo social percibido (β= .25), un estado de salud autopercibido positivo (β= .30) y niveles mas bajos de depresion (β= -.28) tenian niveles mas altos de autoeficacia general. Es muy importante promover acciones comunitarias que ayuden a las personas mayores a disminuir los niveles de depresion y a aumentar los niveles de estado de salud autopercibido y el apoyo social percibido. Por lo tanto, se contribuira al aumento de la autoeficacia en las personas mayores, una variable extremadamente importante en la salud y el bienestar de esta poblacion especifica. EnglishThe aim of this study was to identify the psychosocial predictors of general self-efficacy in a sample of Brazilian elderly people. Self-efficacy has been reported as a variable of great importance for elderly people’s health. Among them, higher self-efficacy levels are associated with lower inability, psychological distress, depressive symptoms, good perceived health and higher pain adjustment. One hundred and fortyfour patients participated in this study. They were all patients of the Health Basic Unit at Granja do Torto (Brasilia, Brazil). The sample is consecutive. The data were collected through a questionnaire that included sociodemographic questions (colour, age, education, marital status, occupational situation and number of people of other generations that you live with) and scales for the studied psychosocial dimensions (selfperceived health status, social support, depression, and general self-efficacy). The sample is mostly (58.3%) constituted by women. The average age is 69.3 years old (SD= 6.61), with participants being from 60 to 89 years old. The majority were white and brown people, with less than 8 years of education; they have a stable partner, live with family members of another generation, and do not work (they are retired). Self-perceived health status, social support and depression explained 37.2% of variance (∆F(3, 140)= 29.20, p= .000). The participants who had a higher level of perceived social support (β= .25), a positive self-perceived health status (β= .30) and lower levels of depression (β= -.28) had higher levels of general self-efficacy. Future interventions under the scope of health promotion in elderly people must consider these determinants in order to increase their efficacy. It is very important to promote community actions that help elderly people to decrease depression levels and increase levels of positive self-perceived health status and perceived social support. Thus, we will contribute to self-efficacy increase in elderly people, an extremely important variable in health and well-being among this specific population.