Saúde sexual e HIV/AIDS na terceira idade

Abstract

The rate of HIV infection has increased among the elderly. Likewise, the improvement of social life and the growth of the pharmaceutical industry have stimulated the prolongation of sexual activity in old age. However, the conception of the elderly as an asexual person, including among health professionals, has reduced the space for the elderly to express their sexuality or to discuss the subject in a way that provides information, resulting in dangerous sexual practices and remoteness of their sexual health. The objective of this study was to analyze how the knowledge about HIV / AIDS reflects the sexuality experience of the elderly users of a Health Center in the city of Belém-PA. For this purpose, it was opted for the evaluation research approach, adopting the triangulation method. In compliance with the first objective that was assessing the knowledge of the elderly about HIV / AIDS, applying the Questionnaire about HIV to Third-Age (QHIV3I). Already to reach the second objective, which was to explore how the elderly think and experience their sexuality, it was adopted the focus group technique, applying for two separate groups of men and women. The data obtained through the questionnaire were treated and analyzed by simple descriptive statistics, resulting in the fact that the elderly people who participate of this research have some knowledge about AIDS, mainly in relation to the areas "concept", "transmission" and "prevention ". However, it was observed the existence of knowledge gaps especially about the asymptomatic phase of the disease and ways in which virus transmission does not occur. In addition, 93% of them do not use condoms in their sexual practice and only 40% have already had the HIV test. The data obtained through the study group were treated by the Thematic Content Analysis, thus emerging four categories: sexuality of the elderly among the challenges of aging and prejudice; elderly widows – the influence of marital status on sexuality; the negotiation of condom use among couples of the elderly – between trust and suspicion of infidelity; Nursing between the old and new: the conversation about IST and HIV / AIDS with the elderly. It was concluded that knowing does not always reflect positive attitudes toward HIV / AIDS prevention and other STIs. The elderly do not use the condom because of the following reasons: trust in the partner, relationship of power of the man to the woman, biological changes and lack of habit.