Ações dos agentes comunitários de saúde diante do usuário da estratégia saúde da família com estados depressivos no Município de Abaiara-CE-BR

Brazilian health public assistance is going through two Reforms, Sanitary and Psychiatric, and through these the assistance is guaranteed in the three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. Thus, mental health assistance should be offered since preventive cares until the ones that demand larger technological apparatus. Programs like Health Community Agent's Program (HCAP) and Family Health Strategy (FHS), besides increasing the services coverage, have been making possible the system reorientation in the meaning of integrality, universalization and equity. Thus, united intervention of mental health team and FHS can offer several benefits to the population, providing assistance and follow-up to patients with mental disorder. It was aimed to assess health community agents facing the user of Family Health Strategy in depressive state. This quanti-qualitative study took place in the municipal district of Abaiara-CE. Semi-structured interview was applied with health community agents and Beck Depression Inventory with the users registered in Family Health Strategy. It was verified that among the 64 users interviewed, 12.5% didn't present symptoms of depression, 10.9% presented symptoms of light depression, 14.1% symptoms of moderate depression and 62.5% symptoms of serious depression. For the 22 health community agents interviewed, they all reported the existence of people with symptoms of depression in their personal micro-areas, being difficult to work with them, once the FHS team is not qualified to work with mental health problems. It was verified that the Municipal district doesn't have specialized professionals, making difficult the routing and treatment. Based on these results, it was concluded that in spite of the articulation of mental health with FHS is necessary and benefactor to the population, it still doesn't exist, worsening the situation, mainly in small Municipal districts, once they don't have mental health services. Thus, the population is exposed and without follow-up, which allows the identification of installed diseases and with gravity, like depression, because there are no prevention and control activities. It is recommended, due the extreme need, the elaboration and implantation of a mental health program in these municipal districts, articulated with FHS

Qualidade de vida de pessoas com úlcera venosa: associação dos aspectos sociodemográficos, de saúde, assistência e clínicos da lesão

Venous ulcer (VU) is a lower limbs injury resulting from inadequate return of venous blood in feet or legs. Although it is not a deadly disease, it causes chronic wounds, which seriously undermine patients´ quality of life (QOL) and sometimes leads to drastic family, social, economic and psychological changes. In this sense, there are several aspects that may influence the venous ulcers patients´ QOL. The study´s objective aimed on the association of socio-demographic and health, health care and clinical injury on UV patients‟ QOL. Analytical studies, which consider the complexity of factors involved in changes in UV patients‟ QOL has a cross-sectional and quantitative approach. The HUOL Ethics Committee approved this project (n.279/09). The collection of data lasted a period of 3 months in 2010 and it took place at the clinic of Angiology at Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes (HUOL). The data sample consisted of 60 patients treated by UV angiologists in the HUOL Surgical Clinic. The results were analyzed with SPSS 15.0 by descriptive and inferential statistics. The study was based on UV patients that were predominantly female, average age of 61.4 years, that had low education level and low family income, with occupations requiring long periods of standing or sitting, but mostly retired, unemployed or laid off due to the disease and/or due to chronic diseases associated with the UV. The study took also into consideration patients that used inappropriate products, that were improperly treated by a professional caregiver, that lacked of adequate guidance and compression therapy, that performed no lifting of the lower limbs and regular exercise, that the time of injury were greater than or equal to six months, that were missing specific laboratory tests. The study‟s reference were on recurrent lesions, medium to large lesions area, bed of the lesion (injuries) with fibrin and/or necrosis, with amount of exudate with medium to large, odorless and no signs of infection, with tissue loss between 1st and 2nd degree, without collecting swab or biopsy and with pain. In general, QOL of researched individuals were considered low, the maximum score was 69 points, which the areas that were mostly influenced were the total scores of QOL functional capacity (0.021), emotional (0.000) and social functioning (0.080). Of the 60 individuals, 53.3% had scores between 40 and 69 points in SF-36, and they had the best scores in sociodemographic and health variables (ρ = 0.049). In respect to the assistance and injury characteristics, patients who scored between 40 and 69 points in SF-36 had better scores on these characteristics. By combining the socio-demographic variables, health, and handling characteristics of the injury, we observed a significant difference (ρ = 0.032) when linking them with the QOL total scores. When analyzing separately the domains of the SF-36 scores on the quality of life, we find that the areas that showed statistical significance were functional ability (ρ = 0.035), appearance (ρ = 0.019), emotional (ρ = 0.000), and mental health (ρ = 0.050). Among the socio-demographic characteristics studied, gender and marital status contributed more to the reduction of QOL and among the variables of assistance and the injury, orientation, reference and area of UV contributed the most. By analyzing these five variables all together in accordance with the overall score obtained in the quality of life, we found a significant correlation (ρ = 0.002); with 6.23 times more chances of patients have better QOL in the presence of these five positive factors. By conducting the Mann Whitney U test between all the five demographic variables, health, and clinical care, we found that this combination also proved to be significant (ρ = 0.006). Therefore, patients with these five variables positive tend to have a better QOL. Based on these results, we reject the null hypothesis (H0) and accept the alternative hypothesis (H1) proposed in this study because we noted that the QOL of patients with UV is associated with sociodemographic and health, health care and clinical aspects of the injury

Nervos: rede de discursos e práticas de cuidado na atenção básica no município de Natal/RN

The Primary Health Care and one of its main strategies, the Family Health Strategy (ESF), are framed as the gateway to the Public Health System (SUS). Thus, most of the incident and prevalent health problems in the population attended should be solved at this level of care, including psychological suffering, and the so-called complaint of nerves. Nerves and nervous denote a complexity that is not always well comprehended by health workers, in such a way that the care to this kind of problem is usually inadequate. In this line of thought, the general objective of this study is to analyze the network of discourses and the care to the psychological suffering, expressed as nerves, in SUS daily Primary Health Care. Besides and more specifically, it aims at identifying the principles and guidelines of the Primary Health Care in mental health; to investigate health workers positioning before psychological suffering and complaints of nerves, and also analyze different actions and practices of care carried out in different Health Units towards complaints like nerves. Institutional Ethnography was the theoreticalmethodological perspective adopted for the work. This approach seeks to understand and analyze the institutional relationships in a particular context considering sociostructural influences and power relations, as well as daily discourses and practices. Based on interviews with health professionals, informal conversations and observations in six Health Units with ESF teams from different sanitary districts in Natal/RN, it was possible to check that the index of complaint of nerves is high. The referral to psychologists and psychiatrists, as well as the prescription of psychotropic drugs appear as the most common intervention at this level of care. In general, the participants complain that they have poor specialized knowledge about the theme of mental health. They face the problem of bad work conditions and the lack of institutional support, which make actions of illnesses prevention and health promotion even more difficult. Besides, there are different ongoing practices such as meetings for hypertensive and aged people, walk, visit, round-table discussions and community therapy. However, not all of these actions are aimed at the care of psychological suffering. It is observed that the Matrix Support, which is a methodological strategy of supervision and follow up forcases of mental health, hasn t been totally implemented in the municipal system, although it is a tool that has been used by psychologists in some Health Units in the city. It was also verified that the health care practices to the problem of nerves strongly depend on the professional s commitment with the PSF guidelines and on mental health policies, in addition to continued support, when available, from other professional who works as matrix supporter

Estratégias de cuidado integral à saúde: os CAPS no processo de implementação do apoio matricial em Natal/RN

This study aims to analyzing the implementation of the Matrix Support proposal with professionals of Substitutive Services in Mental Health in the city of Natal/RN. The Matrix Support (MS) is an institutional arrangement which has been recently adopted by the Health Ministry, as an administrative strategy, for the construction of a wide care net in Mental Health, deviating the logic of indiscriminate follow-through changed by one of co-responsibility. In addition to this, its goal is to promote a major resolution as regards health assistance. Integral attention, as it is intended by the unique health system, may be reached by means of knowledge and practices interchange, establishing an interdisciplinary work logic, through an interconnected net of health services. For the accomplishment of this study, individual interviews of semi-structured character were used as instrument, with the coordinators and technical staff of the CAPs. The data collection was done in the following services: CAPS II ( East and West) and CAPS ad ( North and East), in the city of Natal/RN. The results point out that the CAPs to initiate of the discussion the process in the implementation of the MS aiming, to promote the reorganization and redefinition of the flow in the net, thus not acting in a fragmented way. Nevertheless, there is no effective articulation concerning the basic attention services, there is a major focus of the attention in mental health on the specialized services, little insertion in the territory and in the everyday life of the community

Compreendendo a experiência de pessoas portadoras de transtorno mental: histórias de vidas severinas repletas de possibilidades

This study aims to understand the experience of people suffering from mental disorder. The patients are enrolled in a mental health ambulatory clinic in the city of Natal (RN). Mental disorders are growing rapidly in the contemporary world and are a source of intense mental suffering. Besides patients being strongly marked by a history of isolation and prejudice, they have been the target of real atrocities committed in the name of preservation of a supposed normality. The understanding and treatment of this disorder is influenced by cultural and historical inferences, depending on the period in which it is experienced. Semi-directed Interviews were conducted with a group of users, with the emphasis on giving voice to their uniqueness and individuality, highlighting how each one perceives his or her own experience. These were recorded and later transcribed by identifying the core of meanings. The results were analyzed under the gaze of the Humanist Phenomenology Existential perspective, which aims to unravel the phenomenon, without truths from volatility, highlighting the existence of the mental disorder as a way of living, being permeated by suffering mental and influenced by social problems, assuming contours very particular to each individual. Some progress has been perceived, even by users, with respect to the change of paradigm in the way of care, but still there is a consistent emphasis on medical and drug use. The changes point to the need for offering services to replace the asylum hospital model, and in addition to accept the bearer of mental disorder as a citizen, a bearer of rights who should be accepted and respected by society. Despite the pain expressed and its close liaison with suicide, their reports are full of perspectives and attitudes of confrontation facing life, pointing to new possibilities to be, recreating itself

O fazer do psicólogo no núcleo de apoio à saúde da família

The Brazilian Ministry of Health regulated in 2008 the Family Health Support Nucleus (FHSN) as a device for support and complementarity to the Family Health Strategy. The FHSN, through the matrix support, potentiates the Family Health teams on dealing with a great variety of demands and activities that are under their responsibilities. It is structured in teams of professionals from various health specialties, among which is the mental health. In preliminary studies we noticed that the psychologists have been the main representatives of mental health professionals at the FHSN from Rio Grande do Norte (RN-Brazil). On this scenario, this study intends to problematize the professional practice of the psychologists who work at the FHSN teams in RN, regarding how their work is done, discussing it under the perspective of collective health and the directions for the basic health care on Brazilian s health system. Still as a goal, in more specific ways: identify the forms of professional insertion of the psychologists in this field; characterize the work done by the psychologist at the FHSN (developed activities); and produce an analysis of the characteristics and limits of those actions, from theoretical and methodological references based on Marxian ontology. Were performed semistructured interviews with psychologists working in the oldest FHSN teams form RN. We conducted the analysis of the material following the blocks of information: determinants of the psychologist entry at the services, training for current practice; operation of FHSN; activities performed by FHSN team and the psychologist; joint actions; and limits of psychology practice in the FHSN. An important result, we observed the little articulation of practicing between the psychology and other professionals and teams, further indicating the prevalence of the traditional medical model (individual and outpatient) as guidance of their performance instead of the matrix logic that is the foundation of the proposed action for the FHSN. We also emphasize the potential of psychologists actions at the FHSN on contributing to the achievement of comprehensive care

Caracterização das intervenções em grupo na rede básica de saúde em Natal-RN

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Estratégias de cuidados por familiares de portadores de transtornos mentais severos residentes na zona rural do alto sertão paraibano

In the current configuration of the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform, family plays a key role in mental health care: shared responsibility and active participation in the process of rehabilitation of people with severe mental disorders. It´s considered that the family member who cares can help users in their daily tasks and articulating trajectories, networks and ways to potentiate social connections. This research was motivaded by interest in the subject and by the lack of research and studies about this reality in rural areas. This study aimed to identify ways of mental health care by relatives of severe mental disorder patients living in rural zone located at sertão of Paraiba. Methodologically was made a work with qualitative research structured in two moments. In the first one, was held a Documentary Research in CAPS II in order to identify: a) users living in rural that had a history of at least one psychiatric hospitalization, b) users who no longer use the reference service (CAPS II) for at least one year. The second stage consisted by home visits and semi-structured interviews with eleven families in rural areas. Results pointed out a profile composed by 56 users: 56 women and 26 men aged between 50 and 64 years, unmarried, without study, farmers and housewives, living six miles from CAPS II and carriers with severe mental disorders. Strategies and resources used by the families for mental health care were: religion, work, medication and help from relatives, neighbors and community. Factors related to non-use of substitute services were lack of internment in CAPS II and lack of money and transportation. The hospital, the house arrest, the police aid and religion were strategies used by family members as support to psychiatric crises. The data pointed to non-solving of care offered by psychosocial support network and the importance of redirecting practices aligned to the asylum model in favor of psychosocial strategies that aimed at rehabilitation and community participation in mental health care

A articulação entre a estratégia saúde da família e o Centro de Atenção Psicossocial: análise de experiência em município do Nordeste brasileiro

The antimanicomial psychiatric reform is a process that seeks to deconstruct the exclusionary logic caused by hospitalizations, providing strategies for social reintegration of individuals. In this sense, the primary care through the Family Health Strategy - FHS comes progressively becoming strategic space in mental health interventions, configured as a field of practice and production of new modes of care. In this perspective, there has been a process of implementing this proposal in the Areia Branca City/RN, through the articulation of Psychosocial Care Network and the Family Health Strategy / ESF. However, this process has not been able to bring changes in practices. From the view that the relationship between mental health and primary care is a challenge currently being faced, that improving the care provided and the expansion of the access to services with guaranteed continuity of care depend on the effectiveness of this joint, established themselves as research objective: To investigate how is the relationship between the FHS team and CAPS team in care mental health in the town of Areia Branca - RN from the speeches of professionals. And if you had specific purposes: 1) Know the demand in existing mental health in the town of White Sand - RN served by FHS; 2) Identify limits and difficulties in the relationship between the ESF teams and CAPS; 3) Identify potential for linkages between ESF teams and CAPS for the establishment of local RAPS. This was a descriptive, exploratory study with a qualitative methodological design, whose subjects were professionals from the Family Health Strategy, professionals Psychosocial Care Center and responsible for the conduct / management of mental health in the municipality. The research tools used informal observations, semistructured interviews and focus groups were used. The data obtained were analyzed for the content analysis of Bardin, allowing discuss the relevance of the theoretical framework with data obtained through observation and interpretation of the relationship between the Family Health Strategy and the network of Psychosocial Care in Areia Branca-RN. On the one hand, there was strong demand for mental health arising from users and their families and / or caregivers. On the other, it was verified that although there is some progress with regard to perceptions of mental health, there are still practical, historical and contextually rooted, which act as barriers to effective response to this demand in view of deinstitutionalization. In this sense, it is considered important to emphasize that the teams of the Family Health Strategy should be trained to ensure the health practice with integrity and incorporating the mental health network in the municipality. This training must occur through continuing health education.

Acolhimento na estratégia saúde da família: o que dizem os usuários?

The objective of the National Humanization Policy (NHP) is to humanize relations between professionals and users. It is guided by the proposal of expanded clinic and proposes the embracement as a strategy for its existence. The embracement requires qualified hearing, the provision of adequate technologies and the establishment of relations for better solving health problems of users. The objective of this study was to evaluate user satisfaction of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) regarding the embracement from the perspective of qualified hearing and improved relations in the city of Recife- PE. In this quantitative, qualitative, evaluative and cross-sectional study, 297 users of the services offered by the FHS were interviewed in six health districts of the city. For data collection, the Satisfaction Rating Scale of users with Mental Health Services - Satis-BR- abbreviated and adapted to the subject embracement was used. Quantitative data were analyzed by using the software Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 17.0, calculating the absolute and relative frequencies. Qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis of Bardin with the elaboration of thematic categories. The results indicate that most users are satisfied with the embracement offered by the teams. About 66% reported being very or fairly heard by professionals; 80.2% reported to have obtained some or much help when searched for embracement; 64.6% indicated that the embracement is friendly or very friendly. Regarding ambience, 55.9% of users demonstrated indifference and dissatisfaction with comfort and appearance; regarding general facilities of the service, 69.4% reported as regular to awful. Three thematic categories were revealed by the speeches: satisfaction with embracement, dissatisfaction with the ambience, and suggestions for improvements in embracement and service. This study contributed to the understanding that both the hearing and relations are present in the embracement of the city and also to demonstrate that the ambience is a possible weakness in the opinion of the users.

A atenção à crise e o apoio matricial: analisadores da estratégia atenção psicossocial

The National Policy on Mental Health is characterized as a territorial - political community , and it has the Psychoso cial Care Strategy (Eaps) as guideline for the proposal and the development of their actions. In its design, CAPS is idealized to be a strategic equipment within the Psychoso cial Care Network/RAPS. Matricial support and at tention to the crisis constitute strategic areas of action of CAPS in its replacement mission , and as it is g uided by the scope of deinstitutionalization, those are essential to the success of these services. We argue that sustain crises in existential territories of life is a condition for the effectiveness of psychosocial care and, ultimately, to the sustainability of its Reform. In this direction, the matricial support tool reveals a territorial supporter, intercessory and powerful in building a psychosocial care to the crisis. Recognized as one of the major challenges by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, forward these fronts materializes for workers in their mi cropolitical crafts. Our research arises as an investment toward empower them , and aimed to understand the operationalization of attention to the crisis and matricial support in a CAPS II, in the view of its workers . Besides, it aims to examine such practi ces forward the principles and purposes of Psychosocial Care Strategy. Inspired by the research - intervention and by the political and social ideas of Institutiona l Analysis, we offer a space for reflection and exchange, by implicational interviews , enablin g workers to launch them in analysis of practices in the EAPs view. We have done a documentary consulting CAPS Technical Project, and a return stage to the institution, by organizing workshop and conversation groups with CAPS workers. The results have show n that there are institutional logics in competition on that service. When operating the logic risk, some difficulties in sustaining most intense crisis situations were identified, the psychiatric hospital internment is used as a facility, particularly in view of some cases, in which the aggressiveness of the person in crises becomes aggressive, and when the brackets SAMU, the CAPS III and Comprehensive Care Beds do not respond satisfactorily to their users requests. Order weaknesses were indicated in this thesis as macropolitical and micropolitical interfering in network support. The matricial actions were identified as a powerful intercessor resource in crisis care appeared weakened, and indicates little porosity in the relationship between the Service and the territory where it takes place. Noticed by the logic of home care, without operate primarily as a knowledge exchange device, we saw capture points in the logic of assistance with ambulatoriza tion production of CAPS, welfare practices and "ext empore " . T he E APs , although it emerge s as a guiding, it is not seen to workers as effective practice. On the one hand, the results signaled that the attention to the crisis and the matricial actions are developed without tenacious connection with the purposes of EA Ps, on the other hand, successful cases were indicated with the main leads to conducting wire of intersectoral actions to the powerful bonds and to the participation of user in their care process es , indicating insurgent forces tha t intend by traditional lo gic .

Serviços-escola de psicologia do Rio Grande do Norte: formação profissional e política pública de saúde em debate

The Psychology University Services is stablished normatively as an indispensable equipment to the recognition of the graduation courses of psychologists by the Brazilian Education Ministery. The Public Healthcare Policies (Universal Health System/SUS) constitutes itself as a input field of the professional category, but shows huge challenges in the formation of these professionals. The objective of this work is to analyse the functioning of the Psychology University Services (SEP) and the Superior Educational Institutions from Natal, understood as important formation devices to attend the actual demands of the psychologist's work on SUS. For this, it sought a) characterize the psychological practices developed in the SEP; b) relate the National Curricular Lines of Direction of the psychology courses to the skills and competences developed in the SEP to the performance on the public healthcare policies; c) mapping ways of including the SEP in the network designed by the healthcare policy. Interviews were performed with 13 academic supervisors, 8 field supervisors and technicians of superior level (TNC), along with 9 managers, being for of the Psychology University Services and 5 of the graduation programs. Questionnaires were also applied to 57 interns and 24 graduates. Besides that, two conversation circles were performed with the faculty and technician members from two of the Educational Institutions that were participating of the research, as well as a workshop with students and psychologists, promoted by the CRP 17. We observed that most part of the faculty members and managers know the DCN and comprehend that the formation is in process of change in what concerns to the extension of the formation to the performance of the psychologists in various contexts. However, most part of the TNC don't know about them. Moreover, the results point to the predominance of the assisting model based on the traditional clinic psychology, although the articulation with the public healthcare and social assistance networks can already be timidly visualized. Different modalities of practices in theses Psychology University Services were also detected, such as conversation groups, thematic workshops, organizational consultancies, team meetings with the interns and TNS in a daily basis, matriciament in mental health, therapeutic monitoring, among others. Yet, the SEP in Rio Grande do Norte are still isolated from the other courses that perform in the healthcare area and also from the services that compose the public healthcare and public policies.

Sociabilidades e hedonismos: etnografia entre jovens usuários de substâncias psicoativas sintéticas Fortaleza Ceará

This dissertation shows a comparison between practices related to the body, to identities and to the health of young drug takers of synthetic and manipulated psychoactive substances living in Fortaleza. Through ethnographic accompaniment of parties and two social nets of young people I was able to verify the differences and similarities that make these addicted singular and plural in their notion of ethos and world vision. Notions of being hippie/alternative and being punk are present between these nets. Because their use and circulation are developed in environments usually distinct, it is possible to trace singular aspects between the nets and its actions. In parallel, on the attempt to build a triangulated data, I had information related to youth and drugs in local media and in governmental institutions bound to health mental and city security policies. With this junction of data I present a perspective to questions evolving formal and informal important controls to the conduction of their lives and identities. I present this as a sequel to well developed studies in Brasil about youth in interface to drug use, although still not very explored in the state of Ceará.

Repercussões psico-sociais da síndrome dos ovários policísticos: estudo quali-quantitativo

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrame (PCOS) has been shown to cause a reduction in quality of life. Little is known on the psychosocial aspects associated with PCOS, especially on women s own experiences regarding the syndrome. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the psychosocial impact of PCOS by measuring the health-related quality of life and exploring the women s own experiences of PCOS. METHODS: A two-phase model of combination of quantitative and qualitative research approaches was conducted, a crass-sectional survey to pravide quantitative data on the quality of life and a qualitative approach to understand the women s experience in relation to the PC OS sympt?ms. For the first phase, 109 women with PC OS and 104 healthy contrais were evaluated with the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). Additionally, semi-structured interviews (n=30) were conducted to facilitate in-depth exploration of PC OS women s experience. RESUL TS: PCOS patients showed significant reductions in almost ali SF-36 domains of quality of life when compared with healthy contrais (physical function 76.5:!:20.5 and 84.6:!:15.9, respectively; physical rale function 56.4:!:43.3 and 72.6:!:33.3; general health 55.2:!:21.0 and 62.5:!:17.2; vitality 49.6:!:21.3 and 55.3:!:21.3; social function 55.3:!:32.4 and 66.2:!:26.7; emotional rale function 34.2:!:39.7 and 52.9:!:38.2; mental health 50.6:!:22.8 and 59.2:!:20.2). Thematic analysis revealed reports of feeling abnormal , sadness, afraid and anxiety. These feelings were related to four symptoms commonly experienced by women with PCOS: excess hair grawth; irregular or absent menstruation, infertility and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Polycystic ovary syndrame impacts women both physically and psychosocially. Owing to this, women with PCOS need not only medical treatment for. the reproductive, esthetic and metabolic repercussions, but also the care of a multidisciplinary team, since PCOS is not just a physical condition, but also an important psychosocial problem that affects various aspects of a woman s life

A importância da atividade física regular como estratégia complementar na promoção de resiliência de idosas e sua importância para suas vidas

O conceito de saúde, na concepção mais abrangente, é uma condição multidimensional de bem-estar físico, psicológico e social e não apenas a inexistência de enfermidades. Os benefícios da atividade física são tão relevantes quanto os benefícios psicológicos, porque ambos contribuem para a saúde. A literatura aponta um conjunto de ligações diretas e indiretas entre a atividade física e a qualidade de vida. Apesar destes benefícios, o processo de envelhecimento é caracterizado por grandes perdas biopsicossociais, que geram várias situações de adversidades que causam preocupação e podem colocar em risco a saúde do idoso. Deste modo, surge a resiliência como um conjunto de processos sociais e intrapsíquicos, que possibilitam o desenvolvimento saudável do idoso, mesmo diante de experiências negativas. Nesta direção, observou-se a necessidade de executar uma pesquisa de conhecimento multidisciplinar conciliando a Educação Física com a Psicologia, a Medicina, a Terapia Ocupacional e a Gerontologia, com o objetivo de investigar o efeito da atividade física sobre os níveis de resiliência em mulheres idosas, bem como conhecer a importância desta atividade para suas vidas. Para tanto, realizou-se um estudo comparativo descritivo, de caráter transversal. Assim sendo, 230 mulheres idosas foram divididas em dois grupos: ativas (n=115; 65,8±5,8 anos de idade), constituído por idosas matriculadas em um programa de atividade física orientada para idosos com período de prática igual ou superior a dois anos, e sedentárias (n=115; 69,2±7,2 anos de idade). Em seguida, foram submetidas à avaliação do nível de resiliência psicológica e da aptidão física (resistência muscular de membros superiores e inferiores, flexibilidade e resistência aeróbia). As idosas ativas apresentaram valores significativamente (p=0,001) maiores do fator 3 da resiliência psicológica quando comparados àqueles do grupo de idosas sedentárias, o qual está relacionado à autoconfiança e à capacidade de adaptação a situações diversas. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas (p>0,05) entre os grupos para os demais fatores (1 e 2). Quando comparados os testes de aptidão física com o nível de resiliência psicológica moderada (n=28) e alta (n=202) do fator 3, observou- se que idosas com nível de resiliência psicológica alta apresentaram maior flexibilidade (p=0,004). E para a avaliação da percepção da importância da atividade física para as idosas foi aplicado um questionário semiestruturado. A partir da Análise de Conteúdo proposto por Bardin (2009) os resultados foram: saúde/prevenção (85%), interação (47%), autonomia (40%), alegria/felicidade (33%), resiliência (33%), lazer (15%). E para avaliar a resiliência utilizou-se a Escala de resiliência de Wagnild e Young (1993). Quanto aos níveis de resiliência os resultados demonstraram que todas idosas apresentaram alto nível. Considerando os achados do presente estudo, sugere-se o emprego da atividade física como método de intervenção para melhora da saúde mental e, por conseguinte, da resiliência psicológica na população em questão, uma vez que os resultados apontam que idosas fisicamente ativas apresentam escores de resiliência psicológica superiores àquelas estratificadas como sedentárias. O resultado desse estudo possibilitou também concluir que a importância da atividade física parece estar relacionada, na sua maioria, às características de saúde/prevenção, interação social, autonomia, resiliência, alegria/felicidade e lazer. Além disso, as mulheres do presente estudo apresentaram um alto nível de resiliência quando comparado à tabela normativa