[Factors associated with difficulty of access of the elderly with disabilities to the health services]

This study seeks to analyze which are the variables associated with the difficulty of elderly people with disabilities gaining access to the health services. This is an observational study of an analytical cross-sectional nature, with a sample of 244 elderly people with disabilities. Data relating to socio-economic profile, the nature of the disability, and the conditions of access to health services were gathered. Version 11.0 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software was used for descriptive, statistical and analytical assessment of the data. The protection variables for difficulties in being treated in the health services were: the lack of drains, culverts, trash, bags of refuse, or irregular floor surfaces; the absence of ramps on sidewalks and pavements; the availability of transport; ease in scheduling appointments; and the length of the waiting period to be attended. The number of factors listed shows that the architectonic barriers and the current situation of healthcare need to be adequate in order to ensure full access and use by the elderly with disabilities to the health services.