Meaning of palliative care for the elderly in primary care: a grounded theory

Abstract

Aim: To understand the significance of palliative care for the elderly for health professionals working in primary health care. Method: An exploratory study with a qualitative approach, which will use the encoding and constant comparison process of Grounded Theory (GT), and will be interpreted in terms of the theoretical framework of social phenomenology of Alfred Schutz. The research scenarios will be three Family Health Units in the Felipe Camarão neighborhood, West District, in the city of Natal (RN), Brazil. For the production of the data, with the consent of the directors of each unit and with the acceptance of health professionals, participants will be interviewed through the use of semi-structured questionnaires incorporating demographic data and open questions about palliative care for the elderly. Expected results: to establish a health care strategy for primary care professionals that improves the quality of life of the elderly and other patients who depend on palliative care.