Care in primary health care for dignity at the end of life

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the care carried out by professionals from Primary Health Care staff aiming at promoting dignity for people at the end of their lives at home and to understand the facilitating and hindering aspects. This is qualitative research with 12 professionals from five Family Health Strategies. Semi-structured interviews were carried out between October and November 2022, the results of which were organized in the Atlas.ti program and subjected to content analysis. The study made it possible to describe the care provided by Primary Health Care professionals to promote dignity for people at the end of life. Participants were nurses, doctors, nursing technicians and community health workers, who reported that they did not frequently care for people at the end of life. The identification of these people in the service occurs through community health agents, medical records and direct search for the service by patients and family members. To try to promote dignity, home visits and referrals to health services are strategies to ensure longitudinality of care as well as welcoming, access to specialized staff and effective communication with those involved in care. Furthermore, it was possible to understand the facilitating and hindering aspects of care. Dialogue, qualified staff, insertion of family in care and staff monitoring are factors that facilitate dignity-centered care. Work overload, limited resources, weaknesses in communication and weakened family ties make it difficult to maintain the dignity of people at the end of their lives at home.