Local health planning: Care of the elderly versus Permanent Health Education

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the Permanent Health Education proposals and health actions, in the context of the elderly, within local health plans. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study, conducted by documentary analysis of 29 local health plans of Basic Health Units of a city in Paraná state, Brazil. The data were submitted to Similitude Analysis using IRaMuTeQ® software. The Freirean Praxis was used as theoretical analytical reference. Results: The similitude of the planned actions of Permanent Health Education in the care of the elderly underlined four central zones, composed of the words: prevention, group, Brazilian Family Health Support Center (FHSC), and age; the similitude of planned actions in the care of elderly centered on two central zones, formed by the words, group and the elderly. Conclusion: The proposals were both focused on individual and collective care, but were not based on problematization and active aging, favoring curative actions to the detriment of the integral care of the elderly.