Envelhecimento e transtornos mentais mais comuns no idoso: representações sociais de cuidadores, profissionais de saúde e idosos de Botucatu
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Data
2006-03-31
Autores
Ovile, Ana Cláudia [UNESP]
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Editor
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
O envelhecimento populacional tem se acompanhado de importante transição epidemiológica. Depressão e demência são as principais causas de anos vividos com alguma incapacidade. Representações sociais de profissionais de saúde e da comunidade em geral contribuem para que estas doenças sejam confundidas com processo natural de envelhecimento, retardando seu diagnóstico e tratamento. Objetivo: Investigar representações sociais de médicos e enfermeiras do Programa de Saúde da Família (PSF) de um município do interior paulista, idosos saudáveis e cuidadores de idosos dependentes acerca do envelhecimento, do papel social do idoso na comunidade e de problemas de saúde mental em idosos, particularmente depressão e demência, além de formas de cuidar desses problemas a partir da perspectiva das representações sociais consideradas como uma forma de conhecimento e explicação da realidade que orienta as práticas de determinados grupos. Método: A coleta de dados realizou-se utilizando Grupos Focais de Discussão, com perguntas norteadoras e vinhetas de casos. As discussões foram gravadas em áudio e posteriormente transcritas. Os dados foram processados empregando-se a análise de conteúdo, para se estabelecer categorias temáticas de análise. Resultados: Os grupos identificaram a desvalorização do papel social do idoso, atribuída ao fim do trabalho ou à perda da saúde. A família foi apontada como cuidador preferencial para idosos dependentes, reconhecendo a sobrecarga que a falta de apoio institucional pode acarretar, inclusive para a rede básica de atenção á saúde. Os grupos reconheceram os casos de depressão e demência como problemas de saúde, mas por vezes confundiram os sintomas descritos com outras patologias. Demência foi abordada como não tratável propondo-se apoio á família como alternativa de assistência. Houve forte tendência em associar os quadros ao processo natural de envelhecimento.
The population aging has been followed by an important epidemiological transition. Depression and dementia are the main causes of years lived with some impairment. The social representation of professionals of health and the community in general has contributed to these diseases to be confused with the natural aging process. Objective: to investigate doctors and nurses's social representation for the 'Program of Health of the Family' in a small town of São Paulo State, healthy older people and older people's caretakers about the aging, the social status in the community and problems of mental disorders in the elderly, particularly depression and dementia, besides investigating ways of dealing with these problems through the perspective of social representation considered as a kind of knowledge and explanation of reality which guides the practices of certain groups. Method: The data were collected in focus groups discussions, where guiding questions and vignettes were used. The discussions were recorded in audio and then transcribed. The data were processed and the content was analyzed to establish thematic categories of analysis. Results: The groups identified the depreciation of the elderly status, attributed to retiring or health loss. The family was pointed as the preferential caretaker for dependent older people, the overload that the lack of institutional support can bring, also to primary care services, was recognized. The groups recognized depression and dementia as a health condition, but sometimes made some confusion with the symptoms described in other pathologies. Dementia was understood as having no possibility of treatment and support to the families as a kind of assistance was proposed. There was a strong tendency of associating both disorders to something natural to the aging process. There is a need to raise awareness about identifying and making appropriate interventions in older people's mental health condition.
The population aging has been followed by an important epidemiological transition. Depression and dementia are the main causes of years lived with some impairment. The social representation of professionals of health and the community in general has contributed to these diseases to be confused with the natural aging process. Objective: to investigate doctors and nurses's social representation for the 'Program of Health of the Family' in a small town of São Paulo State, healthy older people and older people's caretakers about the aging, the social status in the community and problems of mental disorders in the elderly, particularly depression and dementia, besides investigating ways of dealing with these problems through the perspective of social representation considered as a kind of knowledge and explanation of reality which guides the practices of certain groups. Method: The data were collected in focus groups discussions, where guiding questions and vignettes were used. The discussions were recorded in audio and then transcribed. The data were processed and the content was analyzed to establish thematic categories of analysis. Results: The groups identified the depreciation of the elderly status, attributed to retiring or health loss. The family was pointed as the preferential caretaker for dependent older people, the overload that the lack of institutional support can bring, also to primary care services, was recognized. The groups recognized depression and dementia as a health condition, but sometimes made some confusion with the symptoms described in other pathologies. Dementia was understood as having no possibility of treatment and support to the families as a kind of assistance was proposed. There was a strong tendency of associating both disorders to something natural to the aging process. There is a need to raise awareness about identifying and making appropriate interventions in older people's mental health condition.
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Palavras-chave
Idosos - Saúde mental - Aspectos sociais - Botucatu (SP), Saúde pública
Como citar
OVILE, Ana Cláudia. Envelhecimento e transtornos mentais mais comuns no idoso: representações sociais de cuidadores, profissionais de saúde e idosos de Botucatu. 2006. 136 f. Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, 2006.