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Self-skincare knowledge and practice described by elderly persons in the mid-west of Minas Gerais

2016; UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO; Volume: 19; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1590/1809-9823.2016.14237

1981-2256

Juliana Ladeira Garbaccio, Amanda Domingos Ferreira, Amanda Laís Gonçalves Gama Pereira,

Health, Education, and Aging

The present study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices reported by the elderly in relation to basic care of one's skin. A cross sectional study was performed from November 2011 to August 2012 in Arcos, Minas Gerais, based on a structured questionnaire administered to 250 elderly persons, with answers statistically analyzed. Knowledge and practices of self-skincare were evaluated from the median number of ten questions answered by the elderly. Most of the sample population were women (54.8%), aged between 60 and 69 years (52.4%), with a primary education (71.6%) and working in a job where they were exposed to direct sunlight (58.0%). The majority (76.4%) said they did not use protective sun filter despite considering it important (77.6%). The use of body moisturizing creams was reported by 55.6%. An association (p<0.05) was identified between the variables practice/knowledge and gender and practice outdoor activity. Further studies can be conducted as a result of the present research to clarify factors related to non-adherence to self-skincare, and educational measures should be put in place for the entire population, regardless of age, to prevent pathological skin aging.