Quality and safety in the use of insulin therapy by the aged population

Objective: to evaluate individual and collective quality and safety in the use of insulin by the aged population in a large city of southern Brazil. Method: a cross-sectional population-based study conducted in 2016-2017 with older adults aged 68 and over. The interviews were conducted in the older adults' homes. The outcome was measured by the way in which syringes and needles were used and disposed of. Descriptive analysis was performed by calculating the data proportions and projections for the older adults in the municipality. Results: 735 older adults were interviewed. The prevalence of diabetes was 20.0%, and 13.8% made use of injectable insulin. Syringes and needle reuse was reported by 55.0%, and 65.0% mentioned discarding the material directly in regular garbage. Conclusions: the quality and safety of the older adults in insulin therapy are compromised, and it is necessary to implement health education strategies aimed at improving knowledge and access to the appropriate guidelines.