Introduction:

Chronic non-communicable diseases are considered the main causes of death and disability, both nationally and worldwide. They have multifactorial causes, and the main ones are cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular accidents, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes mellitus and neoplasms.

Objective:

To describe the self-care of users with non-communicable chronic diseases in Primary Health Care, in the light of Orem's Self-Care Theory.

Method:

Cross-sectional, descriptive and exploratory study carried out in an area covered by a Family Health Unit in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The non-probabilistic and intentional sample had 80 users with chronic health conditions. Data were collected between January 2018 and December 2019, through a structured interview and through the use of a validated form for the analysis of self-care in adults. The results, presented in absolute and relative frequencies, have a confidence interval of 95%.

Results:

Among the sociodemographic variables, it was identified that 70% of users had elementary education and that 85% had cardiovascular diseases. As for self-care, all users were independent to perform body hygiene and to control bladder and bowel eliminations. 98.8% were independent to dress themselves; 96.3%, for walking; 87.5%, to chew and swallow; and 83.8%, to prepare food.

Conclusion:

Independence for activities of daily living and self-care were characteristics present among the participants. Such independence is considered important in the Self-Care Theory.

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