Rogério Clemente Rodrigues, professor of the Nursing School of Coimbra, presented on Monday his doctoral thesis in Nursing Sciences at the Biomedical Sciences Institute Abel Salazar (ICBAS) of the University of Oporto. The thesis “Community Assessment of an Elderly Population: from functionality to the use of services” was unanimously approved.

Following other work already developed, namely his master’s degree, this study intended to test and present a methodology which aims at the functional assessment of the elderly in five areas: Social Resources, Economic Resources, Mental Health, Physical Health and Daily Life Activities.

In parallel, an assessment of the use and need of services by this population was also conducted: health services, general support services, assessment and coordination services, economic support services, and social and recreational services, among others. At the level of the functional areas, the study demonstrated a greater incapacity among the age group equal or over 85 years old. It is also this group who uses the services more often.

The study was conducted in a sample of 202 elders who were users of the Health Centre of Oeiras, in Coimbra. The methodology of the European-Portuguese Version of the Older Americans Resources and Services Instrument was applied in this sample.

The data obtained may be used for planning and development of the Health interventions, namely Nursing interventions, as Professor Rogério Rodrigues states.

The following professors were members of the jury: Corália Vicente (ICBAS) - president -, Maria Ermelinda Miranda Jacques (Nursing School of the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo), Wilson Abreu (Nursing School of Oporto), Isabel Correia Dias (Faculty of Letters of the University of Oporto) and Maria Constança Paul (ICBAS). Besides the members of the jury, Professor Zaida de Aguiar Sá Azeredo (ICBAS) and Professor Pedro Augusto Lopes Ferreira (Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra) were supervisors.

Professor Rogério Rodrigues is satisfied with the results obtained, and he hopes that his work may reach an extended geographic area. In terms of health planning, this will make it possible to obtain information on the priorities of intervention.