Repercussões da Covid-19 na terceira idade: percepções de idosos e de enfermeiros que atuam na atenção primária à saúde

Abstract

The aging of the Brazilian and world population is evident, with an increase in the population's life expectancy. This transition and demographic change implies cultural, economic, social and health spheres, causing changes in the context of public policies to monitor the population's well-being. In 2019, the new coronavirus disease was identified, which spread rapidly around the world, having SARS-CoV-2 as the causative agent, with high transmissibility, including the elderly population among the risk groups. Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, actions to combat the disease have been implemented, which imply daily life in society, producing changes in social relationships, health care and the population's quality of life. Thus, this research aims to understand the repercussions of COVID-19 on the elderly, in the perceptions of the elderly and nurses who work in Primary Health Care. This is an exploratory, descriptive study with a qualitative approach, with the participation of 10 elderly men, 10 elderly women and 10 nurses from Primary Health Care de, residents in Santa Catarina, who were selected by the “snowball” method. Data collection was developed through a semi-structured interview through video call on the WhatsApp® application, with a view to protecting those involved due to the pandemic moment. The organization and analysis of data took place through thematic content analysis. As a result of the study, two manuscripts were produced. The first, entitled Repercussions of COVID-19 on care for the elderly: perceptions of nurses in Primary Health Care, emerging two categories: 1) Repercussions of COVID-19 on care for the elderly in PHC; 2) COVID-19 and the changes in the daily lives of the elderly for health care. And the second, called Repercussions of COVID-19 in the elderly: perceptions of the elderly, emerging two categories: 1) Feelings of the elderly awakened in the face of COVID-19; 2) Experiences of the elderly in the pandemic context. Primary Care reduced face-to-face activities, organizing remote monitoring strategies. For the elderly, the pandemic resulted in social, affective and leisure restrictions, negatively altering the health of this population. Still, in the perception of the oldest old, it caused the exacerbation of feelings and numerous changes in physical and mental health, with short and long-term implications. Also, they used technologies in a beneficial way to contact other people.