Social Representations of Health/Illness in Older Adults

Population ageing is a reality in Brazil, a direct consequence of increased life expectancy. This phenomenon requires greater demand for social and health services to address specific problems of this age group, such as diseases, for example. However, society and the health system in general are not prepared to effectively accompany this unique process. Basic healthcare in Brazil is defined by standardised norms, most of which do not consider the representations and needs identified by the elderly themselves. Most health policies and programmes are based on standardised needs pre-established by the values and theoretical knowledge of experts in the field. Given this, this study aimed to identify the perception that the elderly have of their health/disease process, considering them as historical subjects, embedded in their culture and imbued with feelings, questions, and social representations specific to their place as elderly people. It is hoped that the results presented in this work will contribute to the improvement of health actions aimed at the elderly in Brazil.