Elements that influence the health practices of the elderly personin primary care

Abstract

Objectives: to analyze the practices held in the health of the elderly person in Primary Care. Method: qualitative study, performed through semi-structured interviews with health professionals from a Family Health Strategy in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The data collection instrument was a script of a semi-structured questionnaire and the data analysis took place through the methodological framework of content analysisproposed by Bardin. The research project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Rio de Janeiro and by the Research Ethics Committee of the Municipal Health Department of Rio de Janeiro under the respective opinions 1.825.251 and 2.011.914. Results: nine professionals were interviewed, whose answers elucidated the elaboration of the category “Knowledge as a limiting factor in health promotion”and the following subcategories: “Lack of knowledge to meet and organize elderly care in ESF”; “Professional health promotion actions based on common sense”; and “Devaluation of nursing care”. Conclusion: it was found that, in the Primary Health Care Unit in question, the lack of knowledge limits the implementation and execution of health promotion actions for the elderly population. As a Family Health unit, the integration of health promotion with care would be a real possibility. The work of the Family Health team needs to aim for maximum user autonomy in the face of their needs.