[Impact of a health education program on the elderly's knowledge about cardiovascular diseases].

OBJECTIVE To verify the impact of a health education program on elderly patients' knowledge of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS A qualitative study with a participatory approach. The population was composed of seven elderly patients who took part in eight educational interventions on issues related to cardiovascular health. The data was analyzed with thematic content analysis. RESULTS The content analysis showed that participatory interventions promoted knowledge expansion and that, after intervention, subjects were more self-confident about the most appropriate preventive measures to avoid cardiovascular risks. It was found also that health education with a participatory approach positively impacted the formation of more critical subjects who were able to argue and make healthier choices. CONCLUSION The study showed that the participatory approach is an effective strategy when the intention is to increase significant knowledge to minimize health risks.