A ausência masculina na atenção primária à saúde: uma análise da teoria da ação planejada

This study presents, from the Theory of Planned Action, an analysis of male absence in Primary Health Care. The objective was to identify positive and negative beliefs and to define the salient modal beliefs related to the behavior of "seeking the Basic Health Unit "Of men from a sanitary district of Maceio (AL). A total of 25 men, aged 25-59 years, enrolled in one Basic Health Unit (BHU) of a health district of Maceio participated in the study. A semi-structured interview was used and Bardin content analysis was adopted. Men presented behavioral beliefs that both favor and hinder behavior. Normative beliefs have shown greater influence of women for behavioral adoption. The control beliefs were represented by the participants as negative, even though some of them facilitated the performance of the behavior. This proves that male demand for BHU is related to the beliefs that surround their cognitive universe.