Health promotion for older adults in primary health care: practices and challenges

Health promotion actions in Primary Health Care (PHC) are essential for preventing health problems and improving the population's quality of life, particularly among older adults. However, the implementation of these actions faces structural and organizational challenges.

To map Health Promotion activities for older adults carried out in PHC in a municipality in Santa Catarina and to understand the challenges related to their implementation and execution from the perspective of practicing health professionals.

This qualitative study was grounded in the constructivist paradigm and employed Fourth Generation Evaluation. Interviews were conducted with eight Family Health Strategy professionals, and a mapping of the collective activities offered was conducted. Data was collected between December 2024 and January 2025, and manually analyzed using the Constant Comparative Method, without the use of qualitative data analysis software.

The findings indicated difficulties in community engagement, limited resources, and weaknesses in the organization of health promotion actions for older adults. In addition, there was a predominance of initiatives focused on chronic diseases, while actions aimed at active aging remain underexplored.

The results highlight the need for continuous professional training, stronger coordination between management and health teams, and the adoption of more effective strategies to engage the community.

Overcoming institutional and structural barriers is essential to ensure greater equity in access to preventive and health promotion practices.