Sarcopenia screening in elderly in primary health care: nurse knowledge and practices

Describe the knowledge and practices of the Primary Health Care nurse on sarcopenia screening in the elderly.

Qualitative study conducted with 24 Primary Health Care nurses. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, recorded and later transcribed. The speeches were grouped in thematic categories, later analyzed, supported by Paulo Freire's reference.

The findings showed that the primary care nurses' knowledge of sarcopenia screening in the elderly was incipient and fragile. This reality is reflected in a gap in practice, although some instruments already require the registration of characteristics indicative of sarcopenia, such as the evaluation of the calf circumference.

The need to train nurses to perform sarcopenia screening and to implement a promotional and preventive care plan, which will result in improving the quality of life of the elderly assisted in Primary Care, was highlighted.