Autopercepção de saúde e qualidade de vida de usuários de um Ambulatório de Fonoaudiologia

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the overall quality of life of adults undergoing speech-language therapy, using the WHOQOL-Bref; to investigate the self-perception and the concept of health of these individuals. METHODS:Two questionnaires were applied to 97 adult patients from an Outpatient Clinic of Speech-Language Pathology: the Instrument of Investigation about Perception of Health, composed of open and closed questions, and the WHOQOL-Bref. Content analysis was used to analyze open questions, and the scores were statistically analyzed. RESULTS:The highest score on the WHOQOL-Bref was obtained on the social domain, followed by the psychological, physical and environmental domains. There was a significant relationship between educational status and the physical, psychological and environmental domains, and the self-perception as a healthy person. There was statistical relationship between individuals' self-perception as a healthy person and both generic questions of the WHOQOL-Bref, as well as the physical, psychological and environmental domains. Regarding the concept of health, subjects' responses were related to their conception of individual's health or to its level of importance to the individual's life. Whit regards to their health needs, the categories mentioned were: Life and work conditions, Psychosocial factors, Individual behaviors, Health care, Spirituality, Quality of life. CONCLUSION: Self-perception as a healthy person was related to the individual's quality of life. Low educational status interferes on the quality of life and on the subject's own self-perception as a healthy person.