Health, information, and gender: a socio-informational critique of care as a female attribute

Abstract

This study aims to analyze women's perceptions of the caregiving role assigned to them from a personal perspective and as a social group, as well as their informational elements regarding health. To this end, the specific objectives were defined as: a) identifying the information landscape for women's health in Brazil; and b) discussing women's perceptions of caregiving as a female responsibility. It is characterized as an exploratory-descriptive study with a mixed-methods approach, in which a questionnaire was applied, using content analysis as the method. As a result, the profile of the women interviewed reinforces the public that most uses the services of the Unified Health System (SUS), while their perception regarding the caregiving role played by women shows a consensus that this is a sociocultural construct, evidenced by their personal experiences and general perceptions. It is concluded that the women in the study present a clear vision of the caregiving role assigned to them, this being a factor that affects their health.