Health information sources: Results obtained from a group of elderly people

Abstract

The current generation of older people is more vulnerable in terms of low health literacy. Considering that health literacy affects an individual's ability to access and use health care, the objective of this study is to identify the sources of health information used by older people.

Methods: Four focus groups were conducted. The participants were 33 people, aged between 65 and 94 years old, with an average age of 80.5 years.

Results and discussion: In general, elderly people perceive health services as accessible and quality. Family doctors are the central figures in the interviewees' speeches. It is also evident the preference for sources of information that imply social interaction, especially involving the doctor, but also the preference for a model that assumes that professionals know what is best for the person and that they are the ones to make the decisions.