Elderly people's knowledge and preventive practices about COVID-19

Objective: to understand the knowledge and preventive practices of elderly people about COVID-19. Methods: qualitative research developed with 11 elderly people living in a condominium for the elderly. Data were obtained using the technique of individual interviews and then submitted to lexicographic analysis by means of the Descending Hierarchical Classification using the software IRaMuTeQ (R); and discussion in the light of the literature on COVID-19. Results: six classes emerged: Building knowledge and preventive practices about COVID-19; Emotional consequences; Preventive and control practices; Recognition and importance of prevention strategies; Physical, social, and economic impacts; and Individual and collective risk factors. Conclusion: the elderly understands the negative consequences of COVID-19, identifying the individual and collective risk factors, learned based on experiences during the pandemic, previous experiences, dialogues, and sources of information. They recognize the importance of preventive practices, carrying out care in the home and urban environment. Contributions to practice: the study contributes positively to the care of the elderly with the construction of knowledge about COVID-19, especially in the context of elderly residents in a condominium for the elderly, sensitizing and grounding health professionals to plan and develop problematizing educational actions, impacting on professional practice.