La ansiedad en el proceso de envejecimiento de los/as adultos/as mayores del Centro De Salud Tipo C “Bastión Popular” de la ciudad de Guayaquil en el periodo de Mayo a Agosto del 2023

Abstract

Anxiety is conceptualized as the anticipation of a future danger coming from the perception of general and considerably harmful stimuli, which leads the person to a state of great concern, uneasiness, hypervigilance, and anguish. It is also considered a behavioral and physiological response mechanism originated to prevent harm. Anxiety as a mental disorder is characterized by the presence of excessive feelings of worry and fear that significantly influence the daily activities of those who suffer from it, affecting individuals of all ages, including the elderly, who are seen by society as an extremely vulnerable age group. The manifestations of anxiety in elderly individuals are generally linked to a series of biopsychosocial changes produced during aging, which is known to be a natural, irreversible, and gradual process, in which older adults begin to worry about the presence of chronic diseases or their ability to maintain their autonomy, negatively affecting their quality of life. The present systematization of experiences aims to analyze the influence of anxiety in the aging process of older adults ranging from 60 to 85 years of age, through various activities carried out at the Type C Bastión Popular Health Center, in order to obtain information to identify those who suffer from anxiety and to learn about the biopsychosocial changes they experience as they go through old age. For this purpose, several psychometric techniques and instruments were used, such as semi-structured interviews and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), which allowed not only to acquire information but also to recognize the symptomatology and determine anxiety levels. The results show that most older adults experience anxiety in aging, due to family losses, loss of roles, economic changes, and worries about future situations.