EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION ON HIV/AIDS WITH ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the knowledge of the elderly assisted by the Unified Health System (Sistema Unico de Saude, SUS) about HIV/AIDS infection in a health unit, before and after an educational intervention. Method: a quasi-experimental study analyzing the changes related to the knowledge about HIV/AIDS of 60 elderly individuals divided into two groups, who participated in an educational intervention, in an outpatient clinic of a SUS rehabilitation center in the second half of 2016. To evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching/learning process, a semi-structured questionnaire called QHIV3I was applied before and after the intervention. For data analysis, the generalized version of McNemar's chi-square test was used. Results: comparing the knowledge of the elderly before and after the educational intervention showed a higher number of correct answers, with a minimum percentage of 3.34% and a maximum of 75%. Significant statistical differences were found in one of the questions in the concept, transmission and treatment domains; and in the two vulnerability questions. Conclusion: it was found that the educational intervention contributed to the improvement of knowledge about HIV/AIDS in the elderly population. Thus, it is reasserted that the health promotion policy finds its essential foundation in health education strategies.