Profile of Elderly Patients treated at a Basic Health Unit in the Municipality of Imaculada - Paraíba: An Experience Report

Abstract

Aging is a normal physiological process in an individual's life, in which emotional and physical functional capacity changes, and primary health care (PHC) is the main bias of specialized care for these individuals. In this sense, knowledge about the profile of patients who seek these places is considered a strategic improvement tool for public health actions. This study aimed to define the profile of geriatric users treated at a Basic Health Unit (UBS) located in the municipality of Imaculada, Paraíba, Brazil, between March and August 2022. This is an experience report, with a qualitative approach carried out during the curricular practice of Supervised Residency Internship. During the evaluated months, 383 elderly people, 250 women and 133 men, were consulted, with the greatest demand for the unit being women aged 60-64 years and men aged 80 years or older. The greatest search for medical care was related to complaints of hypertension with complications (78 individuals) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes (49 patients). When the main complaint on the part of individuals, is the delay in the process of scheduling exams and consultations with specialized doctors. In addition, the study corroborated the better knowledge of users, inferring the main causes that influence the demand for care. In this way, the experience at the UBS contributed to understanding the main diseases that affect the local population and the challenges faced by the unit's multidisciplinary team.