Insegurança alimentar e sofrimento psíquico em pessoas idosas

Abstract

Given the contemporary context of population aging, coupled with the significant increase in hunger and poverty in various countries, it is necessary to develop investigations into the aspects that impact the mental health of the elderly. This study aims to analyze the prevalence of common mental disorders and psychological stress as psychic suffering and its relationship with food insecurity among older adults. This research is characterized as cross-sectional, exploratory, descriptive, with a quantitative approach. A total of 158 older adults participated in a non- probabilistic and incidental manner, with ages ranging from 60 to 88 years. The instruments used included: a) Sociodemographic questionnaire; b) Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (BFIS), in a reduced five-item version; c) Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20); and d) Kessler Psychological Stress Scale (K10). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, and median) and non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square, and Spearman's correlation coefficient). The results revealed a prevalence of 51.9% (f=82) of food insecurity, which was more prevalent in the group of older adults with incomes up to one minimum wage (lower income levels) and those with up to 5 years of schooling (lower educational levels). The most frequently indicated items related to the lack of money "to have a healthy and varied diet", followed by concern about running out of food before having the financial resources to buy more. Regarding psychic suffering, the prevalence of Common Mental Disorders was 39.9% and of psychological stress was 68.4% (f=108). Older adults without CMD had distinctively lower medians compared to those with CMD, both in the comparison of means by factors and in the global assessment of responses in the SRQ-20 questionnaire. The factors with the highest medians related to somatic symptoms and reduced vital energy. The analysis of the association between psychic suffering and sociodemographic variables showed that the highest levels of psychic suffering occurred among women and older adults with lower incomes and educational levels. The data suggest that food insecurity was associated with higher levels of psychic suffering and common mental disorders.