O cuidado à saúde na perspectiva de trabalhadores homens portadores de doenças crônicas

Abstract

This qualitative study is intended to understand how male, hypertensive and diabetic workers, with low-level education, patients of a primary health care service in Campinas-SP, Brazil, manage their treatment. The results aim to improve the primary health care and the recognition of the special needs of this kind of users. As a result of semi-structured interviews, two categories are reported: one of them is the masculinity-related particularity regarding health care and the other is the experience on caring for chronic disease. Despite the difficulties related to socially constructed male behavior, as work value, reluctance to seek health care, habits like alcoholism and smoking and difficulties with adherence to diet and medication recommendations, there was identified the will and acceptance to treatment. Therefore these findings show the feasibility to promote men’s health care, providing attention to their needs.