Exploring the Process of Care for Women with Elevated Cardiovascular Risk by Brazilian Family Physicians

OBJECTIVES To investigate how medical education, residency training, and systemic and sociocultural factors influence the process of care of Brazilian family physicians when managing women with elevated cardiovascular risk. METHODS A qualitative study employing Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 15 Brazilian family physicians from diverse professional and regional backgrounds. Data collection and analysis were iterative, focusing on emergent themes. FINDINGS The analysis revealed the following main themes: shifting from the biomedical model to the patient-centered approach during medical training; recognizing women caregiver overload; integrating clinical care and the social context to provide patient-centered care; and influencing care through physician gender. CONCLUSION This study emphasized the need for enhanced training in gender-sensitive and patient-centered care approaches. Addressing these gaps can improve equity and outcomes for women with elevated cardiovascular risk in Brazil's primary care setting.