Perception of AIDS among the elderly attending community center in Teresina - PI

• Autor(a) principal: Sales, Jaqueline Carvalho e Silva
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Teixeira, Gabrielle Baldi Simões Ferreira, Sousa, Hayssa de Oliveira, Rebelo, Raisa Caldas
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por; eng
• Título da fonte: Reme (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/reme/article/view/50215
• topic: Envejecimiento; Síndrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida; Género; Enfermería; Idoso; Síndrome de Imunodeficiência Adquirida; Sexo; Enfermagem; Senior; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Sex; Nursing

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among elderly people in Brazil is currently a public health problem. The increase in life expectancy, the decline in fecundity and mortality rates and longer sexual life expectancy might explain the current situation. The present study aims at describing and analysing the perception of elderly people on AIDS in Teresina, Piauí. It is a qualitative study that deals with human meanings, motivations, actions and relationships. The research was carried out at a community centre in Teresina with 13 male and female subjects aged 60 or over. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions, recorded and transcribed in its entirety. After skimming the text and pre-analysing the data, the researchers chose the units of meaning, selected counting rules and categories. Three categories emerged: "AIDS meaning disease and associated with sexual practices"; "Fear, suffering, rejection and death: subjects' perception on AIDS"; and, "AIDS: the prevention as a form of protection". Even though the research population did not have a profound knowledge of AIDS, they did not seem indifferent to it and portrayed it as an infectious, incurable and sexually transmitted disease. The research dealt with the sadness, fear, exclusion, discrimination and death associated with the disease as well as highlighted the importance of prevention.