Promoting Healthy Habits With Elderlies Diabetics: Evaluation of Operative Groups as Therapeutic Intervention

The study was conducted in the Family Health Units Microregion 4.2, Sanitary District IV, located in the city of Recife, Northeast Brazil. For the sample size was considered alpha error 5% (u), beta error of 20% (v). The standard deviation of glycated hemoglobin concentration distribution in both groups (Dp1 and Dp2) was equal to 1.9g/dL, and the difference between the intergroup glycated hemoglobin average was equal to 0.8%.

Initially a survey was conducted of elderlies diabetics interested in participating in the study. Then, an individual randomization of the sample was done using a table of random numbers generated by the software EPI INFO, version 6.04d. Two groups were formed, intervention and control, with similar characteristics in terms of age. Data collection occurred from August 2014 to August 2015 and the elderlies participants in the intervention group or control were followed for 6 months (T0 to T6).

Control Group: 101 elderlies diabetics who participated in the routine individual consultation with the staff of the Family Health Unit on a quarterly basis.

Group Intervention: 101 elderlies diabetics that in addition to individual routine consultation with the staff of the Family Health Unit on a quarterly basis participated in operative groups of health education. The groups had monthly frequency, duration of two hours and were conducted in close community spaces Health Units to facilitate the access of the elderlies.The operative groups with the methodology of problematization (FREIRE, 2011), included issues related to the promotion of healthy habits, identified from the needs of elderlies themselves.

In both groups, intervention and control the variables investigated were: