ABSTRACT
Objective:
to know the beliefs of older adults about their vulnerability to HIV/Aids, and to identify nursing diagnoses.
Method:
a field research implemented in Family Health Units, in João Pessoa, Brazil. The sample included 250 older adults of both genders with data collected from April to July of 2011. A Test of Free Word Association was applied using the term HIV/Aids. A content analysis and cross-mapping of the most frequent terms with the International Classification for Nursing Practice, 2011 were performed.
Results:
202 terms were identified in terms, with an overall frequency of 1156. Of the 202 terms, 16 were more frequent and were used to construct the nursing diagnoses. The diagnoses identified were knowledge about appropriate sexual behavior, ability for partial protection, fear of death and hopelessness.
Conclusion:
understanding these beliefs drew from knowledge about factors related to, vulnerability to HIV/Aids aimed at planning health care actions for this population segment.
Key words:
Elderly Health; HIV; Acquired Immunodefi ciency Syndrome; Nursing Diagnosis
