IDENTIFICATION OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AGAINST THE ELDERLY: CONTRIBUTIONS OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE NURSES

Abstract

Population aging arouses the interest of researchers from various areas. In Brazil, the increase in the number of elderly people has brought worrying data about physical violence against this population. Primary Health Care (PHC) has a routine of working close to homes and plays an important role in identifying these cases of physical violence in the family. PHC nurses are responsible for identifying, reporting, welcoming, and monitoring elderly victims of violence, which often ends up being challenging due to several factors. In this sense, the study aimed to reaffirm the role of PHC nurses in identifying elderly victims of physical violence in the family environment, listing their difficulties in detecting and intervening in cases. To this end, a literature review was used in the Scielo, Google Scholar, Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases and in chapters of scientific books, guides, protocols, as well as in official websites of the Brazilian Federal Government. The literature reviewed indicates that elderly people in vulnerable situations are more susceptible to physical violence in the family. PHC nurses play a fundamental role in the identification of these cases through welcoming with qualified listening, anamnesis, physical examination, use of validated screening scales, home visits, and teamwork. However, these professionals face difficulties in detecting and intervening in cases, such as lack of preparation, dysfunctional family context of the victim, lack of problem-solving capacity in actions, and a health care network with functioning considered incipient. Investments and projects are essential to improve health care for the elderly and combat physical violence against this population.