USO DE PRÁTICAS INTEGRATIVAS E COMPLEMENTARES POR IDOSOS EM TEMPOS DE PANDEMIA

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.31224090915

• Palavras-chave: Idosos. Terapias Complementares. Prevalência.

• Keywords: Elderly. Complementary Therapies. Prevalence.

• Abstract: The use of integrative practices and medicinal plants associated with health care has sparked interest in understanding how the elderly population uses this method therapeutically, considering the history of this age group in adhering to popular knowledge, and also the need to associate the popular knowledge to technological advancement, considering that it is important to understand effectiveness and scope. The study aims to estimate the prevalence of the use of Integrative and Complementary Practices (PIC) by elderly people during social isolation. Data collection will be through a questionnaire containing information about the health of the elderly, sociodemographic information and the use of integrative practices and medicinal plants. The sample will be for convenience, and due to the current moment of the coronavirus pandemic, this study will be developed through social media, with the media of choice being Whatsapp, which can accommodate up to 250 registrations per group. Up to 25% of respondents are considered positive in online surveys. Elderly people will be invited to participate in a WhatsApp group whose main purpose is to disseminate messages of interest to this population. The questionnaire was composed based on studies by Radaelli et al. (2015), Smith et al. (2017). All data obtained were entered and tabulated in the Excel program and presented using absolute and relative frequency distribution tables. There was greater participation in the group of women and the population between 60-79 years old. Of the 82 survey participants, 65.85% are retired, and 56.10% declared to be married. 62.20% have hypertension, and 29.27% ​​diabetes. 46.34% declared performing some type of physical activity. The use of integrative practices in the use of medicinal plants was 59.76%, with the most common use of teas and herbs (36.73%). Furthermore, women demonstrated greater adherence to the use of medicinal plants (62.90%), and, on the other hand, lower adherence to general integrative practices, compared to men. It is concluded that the use of medicinal plants during the pandemic is higher than expected, with a higher prevalence in women.