A política pública de saúde no Brasil: dilemas e desafios para a institucionalização do SUS

A presente dissertação procura analisar as condições de implantação do Sistema Único de Saúde, identificando dilemas e desafios para a institucionalização do SUS. O estudo apresenta uma síntese histórica da Política Pública de Saúde no Brasil, ressaltando as dicotomias entre as ações de natureza preventiva, patrocinadas ao longo do tempo pelo Ministério da Saúde, e as de natureza assistencial, afetas ao Ministério da Previdência Social. Nesta perspectiva, o resgate do processo de formulação e implementação das ações integradas e descentralizadas de saúde comparece como de fundamental importância para a consolidação dos pressupostos do SUS, baseados nas diretr;zes constitucionais de universalidade, integralidade, descentralização e participação da comunidade na gestão do Sistema. Os limites desta consolidação são medidos através da verificação das competências das diferentes esferas de governo; do exercício do controle social pela população; e, das possibilidades de financiamento do sistema.

Assistência farmacêutica no Programa Saúde da Família em Belém - Pará : organização, desafios e estratégias de reestruturação

A assistência farmacêutica no Programa Saúde da Família (PSF) do Município de Belém, é descrita através das ações desenvolvidas nas Unidades de Saúde da Família, da identificação das maiores dificuldades e estratégias utilizadas para garantir o acesso e o uso correto dos medicamentos prescritos, e da percepção das diferentes visões dos profissionais e gestores sobre a assistência farmacêutica no PSF. Consiste em um estudo de caso desenvolvido na Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Belém, com entrevistas semi-estruturadas e aplicação de questionários aos profissionais envolvidos com o PSF, tanto na função gerencial como na executora das ações que envolvem o ciclo da assistência farmacêutica. Os dados obtidos foram agrupados em seis categorias de análise: a) concepção do Programa Saúde da Família em Belém, b) Política de Medicamentos com enfoque na fitoterapia, c) conceito e papel da assistência farmacêutica na integralidade e no aumento da cobertura das ações de saúde; d) dicotomia entre a resolução do atendimento e o abastecimento existente; e) formação de recursos humanos adequados a uma nova proposta de assistência farmacêutica - uso racional de medicamentos; f) limitações da Assistência farmacêutica no PSF. Os resultados indicam a percepção do ciclo da assistência farmacêutica reduzido ao seu processo final – prescrição e dispensação de medicamentos, com sobrecarga de trabalho para médicos e enfermeiros, e com recursos humanos não capacitados para desempenhar as atividades da assistência farmacêutica de forma adequada, demonstrando a necessidade de reorientação da assistência farmacêutica e do Programa Saúde da Família para atuar como estratégia de mudança no modelo de saúde vigente.

Fisioterapia no sistema único de saúde : estudo etnográfico de representações e práticas em saúde em Porto Alegre

Este trabalho aborda as representações e práticas dos fisioterapeutas inseridos no Sistema Único de Saúde. Com o intuito de desvendar o modo de pensar e agir, além do nível de inserção que alcançou a fisioterapia dentro do Sistema Único de Saúde, busquei compreender a lógica orientadora de suas ações terapêuticas bem como sua adequação às diretrizes desse Sistema. Para tal, utilizei uma abordagem antropológica de cunho qualitativo com o privilégio da observação participante e entrevistas semi-estruturadas realizadas em dois serviços de saúde de Porto Alegre: um hospital e um ambulatório de nível secundário. A revisão histórica da profissão ajudou na contextualização e, deste modo, entender por que os fisioterapeutas estão centrados na abordagem física das pessoas. Esse modo de tratar as pessoas é ensinado aos profissionais no processo de formação e reforçado na prática profissional dirigida à reabilitação, tendo o manuseio do paciente um valor importante para o fisioterapeuta. Por sua vez, este tipo de trabalho manual associado a um papel feminino do cuidado são fatores de demérito frente as outras profissões da saúde. Isto reforça a posição hierárquica inferior que o profissional possui dentro do Sistema Único de Saúde, que em alguns momentos é confundido como um especialista da medicina física. Desse modo, este trabalho contribuiu para repensarmos as concepções de saúde que são ensinadas na academia, o que vem a ser o “fazer fisioterapêutico”, bem como, a integralidade das ações terapêuticas dentro do Sistema Único de Saúde.

Telemedicina: uma ferramenta para ampliar o acesso à assistência em saúde no Brasil

O objetivo da presente dissertação é analisar a telemedicina como ferramenta para ampliar o acesso à assistência em saúde no Brasil, dentro do contexto do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Atualmente, a dificuldade de acesso à assistência constitui um grande problema para sistemas de saúde e países no mundo todo. Foi utilizada metodologia qualitativa analítica do tipo “Theory Building from Cases”, envolvendo o estudo de dois casos: a Rede de Teleassistência de Minas Gerais e a Rede de Telessaúde do Canadá, buscando fornecer argumentos positivos para a incorporação da telessaúde em estratégias e políticas de saúde pública no Brasil. Os resultados mostraram que a telemedicina ampliou o acesso à assistência em áreas remotas e rurais, proporcionou economia de recursos devido à redução de deslocamentos de pacientes, possibilitou a educação à distância de profissionais de saúde e, com isso, melhorou a qualidade da atenção prestada. Assim, a conclusão da pesquisa foi que a telemedicina é uma ferramenta eficiente para ampliar o acesso à assistência em saúde no Brasil, colaborando para o cumprimento dos princípios do SUS de universalidade, integralidade, equidade e resolutividade. A incorporação da telessaúde dentro das políticas de saúde com financiamento integrado no orçamento público é fundamental para o sucesso desta ferramenta.

Violência intrafamiliar contra a criança: intervenção de enfermeiros da estratégia saúde da família

Objetivou analisar a atuação dos enfermeiros da Estratégia Saúde da Família frente à violência intrafamiliar contra a criança, visando identificar ações de prevenção do problema. Pesquisa descritiva e exploratória de cunho qualitativo, cujos dados foram analisados conforme análise de conteúdo. Participaram do estudo 14 enfermeiros da Estratégia de Saúde da Família do município de Mossoró-RN. Dados coletados utilizando-se questionário semiestruturado. As ações de promoção à saúde são atividades educativas desenvolvidas após detecção de casos. O medo de represálias do agente agressor, a sobrecarga de trabalho, a falta de apoio dos gestores e a dificuldade para a materialização da interdisciplinaridade, intersetorialidade e integralidade da atenção foram mencionadas como barreiras ao enfrentamento do problema

Meios de resgatar a saúde bucal e autoestima de idosos

O presente estudo objetivou analisar as características epidemiológicas das condições de saúde bucal de 98 idosos de uma Instituição de Longa Permanência para Idosos (ILPI) e de 125 participantes de Grupos de Convivência, de bairros periféricos, socialmente semelhantes, de Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil, para orientação do tratamento odontológico. Investigou-se a autopercepção em saúde bucal desses idosos a fim de realizar uma avaliação comparativa entre eles e com os levantamentos epidemiológicos de base nacional (SB Brasil) e de base estadual (SB Ceará). Devido a alguns idosos da ILPI recusarem o tratamento dentário e a identificação do elevado percentual de demenciados, optou-se por realizar uma avaliação cognitiva, o Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM) visando identificar os aptos à reabilitação oral. Métodos: abordagem epidemiológica do tipo transversal, sendo a coleta de dados realizada por cinco examinadores, utilizando os critérios recomendados pela OMS (1997). Resultados: O CPO-D médio encontrado na ILPI, foi de 29,88, com predomínio do componente perdido (93,27%) enquanto o CPO-D médio dos não institucionalizados fixou-se em 30,17, com predomínio do componente perdido (63,70%). Também se avaliou o uso e a necessidade de prótese dentária: dos residentes na ILPI, 10,20% usavam prótese superior e 3,06%, inferior; 94,90% necessitavam de prótese superior e 97,96% de inferior; sendo a prótese total foi o tipo mais prevalente, 88,78% para ambos os arcos. O percentual do uso de prótese dos não institucionalizados foi 71,20% no arco superior, sendo 66,40% prótese total; já para o arco inferior, 32,80%, das quais 31,20% era prótese total. No presente estudo, tanto para uso quanto para necessidade, considerando ambos os arcos, a diferença entre os idosos institucionalizados e não institucionalizados foi estatisticamente significativa pelo teste Qui - quadrado (p<0,001). Como resultado do MEEM, observou-se deterioração cognitiva (escore ≤ 12) em 37,25% dos entrevistados, bem como um declínio cognitivo com o avanço da idade. Conclusões: Os resultados apontam que há um maior percentual de uso de prótese total no arco superior e maior frequência quanto à ausência de próteses de qualquer tipo no arco inferior. Evidenciou-se que os idosos pesquisados foram submetidos a tratamento mutilador e, como consequência necessitam de reabilitação oral, o que pressupõe a necessidade de políticas públicas para que isso ocorra efetivamente. Os participantes deste estudo caracterizam-se por uma autopercepção positiva da sua saúde bucal, a despeito das condições clínicas insatisfatórias e de precária saúde bucal, com acentuada prevalência de cárie dentária e edentulismo. O MEEM revelou deficiência cognitiva na maioria dos idosos, confirmando que a sua aplicação, previamente à reabilitação oral pode evitar desperdícios financeiros.Tais achados refletem a necessidade de implantação de políticas reabilitadoras em saúde bucal voltadas para o idoso; baseadas na perspectiva da integralidade como princípio doutrinário do Sistema Único de Saúde, o que redundaria numa melhor qualidade de vida, tanto pela melhor mastigação, digestão e nutrição, pelo maior aproveitamento dos alimentos, quanto pelo favorecimento à comunicação, pela dicção e fala, contribuindo para a socialização e consequente elevação da autoestima dessa clientela.

Cartografia da percepção de mês e profissionais sobre a atenção a saúde de crianças/adolescentes soropositivos no município de Natal

This study had as objective to identify to the perception of mothers and professionals of health on the attention to the health of HIV-Positive children/adolescents in the city of Natal-RN. It is a descriptive-exploratory study with quantitative and qualitative approach, carried through in the Giselda Trigueiro Hospital and in the State and Municipal Health Councils in Natal - RN, from march to december of 2005. The sample was composed by 56 participants, 33 mothers of children who use specialized assistance and 23 professionals. Data collection occurred with the application of a half-structuralized interview. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and qualitative data were submitted to content analysis. Prevailing categories in relation to the cartography of the attention to seropositive children and adolescents in Natal were: Organization and dynamics of the attention; Institutional management and human development; Control and prevention; other contexts of attention; relationship/communication team-patient and organization and functioning of the services. The profile epidemiologist of the children, adolescents and of the people/mothers, who take care of them with HIV/Aids, followed the evolution of the epidemic in the country and the world. It was verified that mothers need care and information; however they make a positive evaluation of the attendance they receive. It was also observed many gaps in the services of assistance, in which the researched group was attended, beyond imperfections in the communication between health professionals and users. The professionals recognize the advances that the politics represent for the assistance of people with Aids; however feel themselves limited by the precariousness of the system and the partner-economic conditions of the people. According to these data, it can be verified great challenges to go through in the context of integrality of the assistance to HIV positive children and adolescents in the city of Natal and in the improvement of the communication in the institution of reference

A política de humanização e a estratégia saúde da família: visões e vivências

This study approaches the topic of humanization in health that involves the set of policies implemented by the Ministry of Health in Brazil. Its aims are directed towards a reflection on the guiding theoretical and organizing axes of the National Humanization Policy (NHP) and their repercussions on municipal health policy of Natal, Brazil; an analysis of the results of the policy at the local level; knowledge of the views and experiences of the humanization agents in the daily work process and identification of the main challenges of the policy. The empirical field of investigation was the Family Health Strategy (FHS) of the city of Natal. The assumption of the study is that the FHS has produced local experiences with potentialities that must not be wasted, in which there are difficulties and discrepancies between the real and proposed model. The contradictions and challenges in the social and political context of Brazil in the early XXI century and their consequences in the field of health reflect anti-utilitarian aspects anchored strongly in the theoretical concepts of Boaventura de Sousa Santos about the sociology of privations and emergencies as well as of the work of translating. The predominantly qualitative approach collects some complementary quantitative data. The study procedures used were the following: bibliographic research; documental research; interviews; and direct observation. Interpretation of the information obtained was based on documental analysis and on the symbolic cartography of the social representations. Cartographic evidence suggests that practices still take place under dehumanizing conditions that compromise the quality of care given. However, there is a movement aimed at changing the work process that has been strengthening the link and widening the measures developed, incorporating new directions in diversity, integrality and solidarity. The map drawn shows a reality manifested by explicit intentions in a political agenda, by concrete solutions marked by an assortment of difficulties and expressed in the words of the agents and by latent clues identified in successful local experiences, posing many challenges for the consolidation of the proposed changes

Avaliação do programa saúde da família no Rio Grande do Norte

The Family Health Program implemented in Brazilian municipalities from 1994 represents today the most promising proposal to promote important changes in municipality`s health systems, to allow universal access to health care, comprehensiveness, equity and to promote social control, achievements provided by the health reform process and incorporated to the Unified Health System principles. However, many are the challenges imposed to the Family Health Program so that it can cause these advances. In this study, we aimed to answer the following research question: what are the results of the Family Health Program in relation to beneficiaries at small, medium and large municipalities? The hypothesis that guided this work was that the variation in levels of achievement/results (strict, impacts and effects) of the Family Health Program is related to the size of the municipalities. Therefore, our general aim was to evaluate the results of the Family Health Program in municipalities at Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. And as specific objectives, to measure strict results, effects and impacts of the Program, from the criteria of efficiency and effectiveness on the beneficiated population, and to measure the Program`s impact on the organization of municipality`s health system. This is an impact assessment research, developed from multiple case studies with quanti-qualitative approach. The study included small municipalities (Acari and Taipu), midsize (Canguaretama and Santa Cruz) and large (Natal and Mossoró). The individuals chosen to the research were users/beneficiaries of the Program and health professionals. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and content analysis compared from the Program`s logical /theoretical model. The results obtained in relation to the principles evaluated (universality, comprehensiveness and community participation) presented that municipalities show different results, although not directly related to the size, but related with characteristics of the Program`s implementation form in each municipality and the arrangements made for its operationalization. The positive effect that generated significant change in people`s lives has been linked to the increase of access and to the decrease of geographic barriers. However, to the municipal health system, regarding the changes desired by the Program, it was not observed a positive impact, but a negative impact related to the increase of barriers for the user to access other levels of the health system

Saúde da família: uma estratégia de mudança no processo de produção dos serviços de saúde

The purpose of this study is to analyze, from the point of view of nurses, changes that took place in the process of providing health services after the introduction of the Family Health Program (FHP). It is na investigation of qualitative nature that uses semi-structured interviews as a main empirical approach tool. Six nurses from the city of Caicó, Rio Grande do Norte, who were working with basic care before the introduction of the FHP, within basic care, were: adscription and ties with the community; hospitality and the humanizacion of care-giving; decrease in cases of inpatient treatment; strengthening of the prevention of injuries and health promotion; improvemente of health indicatiors, finally, actions that point towads meeting the principles of wholeness, equity and universality as a declaration of the Brazilian National Health Care System (SUS). Nevertheless, in spite of all recognizable positive aspects, the FHP has some weaknesses, such as: the difficulty posed by colletive work; the mismatch between professional education and the demands of the current health standard; a poor physical infrastructure of the Basic Health Units; a high heath staff turnover and precarious work conditions. In addition to this, some strategies that can be used to help improve the process of providing health services have been pointed out, such as, coordination between sectors, continuous education, making work conditions less precarious and improving the means whereby heathy service management is conveyed,Tthus, finally, we understand that the FHP does bring forward meaningful changes to the process of provinding health services to strengthen the Brasilian National Health Care System (SUS), in spite of the fact that it lies within a scenario of adversities that can be overcome through the collective endeavor of the several social actors

Atuação dos enfermeiros da estratégia de saúde da família frente à violência intrafamiliar contra a criança

The family violence against children became visible, in the context of public health, due to the damage and injuries generated in the lives of children and to the growing need of investment in physical and human resources to fill this demand. In this context, it is believed that intervention could prevent such events and are configured as primary strategies to prevent the corollaries generated by the violence. In this perspective, this study aims to analyze the performance of nurses dealing with the Strategy of Family Health viewing to identify actions based on the paradigm of health distribution. This is a descriptive, exploratory and qualitative research. The data were analyzed based on the content analysis about the method proposed by Bardin. The study was conducted in Mossoró-RN and the participants were 14 nurses working for the Family Health Strategy in Health Units of this town. The instrument for data collection was a semi-structured questionnaire, with questions answered by the participants themselves. It was evident to the study that the nurses believe that health education are the main tool for dealing with domestic violence against children, being developed, however, in its positivist and vertical way. The actions used to develop health performed by the team on their daily lives are limited to educational activities and are carried exactly when cases of family violence against children are notified. Barriers to the practice emerged from fear of reprisals from the agressor, overwork, lack of management support and difficulty for the realization of interdisciplinary, intersectorality and comprehensive care.

Entre flores e espinhos: a atuação do técnico em enfermagem na estratégia saúde da família

It is about a study of an exploratory/descriptive type with a qualitative approach whose aim was to analyze the actuation of nursing technicians in Family Health Strategy (FHS), taking into consideration the defined attributions by the Ministry of Health (MH). Thus, it was sought to identify what activities they carry out, the difficulties encountered, what contributed to their professional performance, and what vision they have about FHS and about themselves in the context. Based on the assumption that the practice of Nursing Technician is not still geared to completeness and that the developed actions by this professional are predominantly individual and curative. We know that FHS proposes the work organization as a team, with territory definition, prioritization of promotion actions, protection and recovery of the individual/family/community health, choosing as a central point the establishment of entails between the professionals and the same ones. However, the team work pass through interdisciplinary, tying and competence, starting making the difference in the way of thinking and doing health. To the accomplishment of this study were interviewed twenty one Nursing Technicians of Family Health Units from Sanitário Oeste district in Natal-RN, using semistructured instrument. From the analysis, three empiric categories emerged: starting from the first, The reality of a dream: what FHS is for the Nursing Technician, we obtained two classifications: one inherent to the own conception they have about FHS, nominated The realization of a dream in the possible and another that corresponds to what they think about FHS, while project that doesn't take place fully, denominated of The beauty of a dream that doesn't take place. The second category was The FHS: a dream built in the daily of Nursing Technician treats of the day by day information of that professional; the activities they perform and how those are established. This created three other items, to know: The role of a Nursing Technician: a project that became routine; The pre-determined role of a Nursing Technician: the scale as factor of (non-)autonomy; and, Knowledge about the practice in FHS: challenges that are presented to the role of Nursing Technician. The third category, denominated of Charms and disenchantment in the beginning of a new practice, it is related to the facilities or difficulties in professional's actuation and how he sees himself in the context. From it emerged the "flowers" and the "thorns" found on the construction of a dream, which gave this study the title. The results indicate that, being considered the characteristics of researched professional category, it becomes fundamental the resizing of labor relations in FHS, being imperative that new glances is conducted, so that the way as those Nursing Technicians interacts with the families can become compatible, together with the team, as well as to return the attention for their possibilities and limits in face of the work process in FHS. Besides, it is necessary changes in the professional formation, so that it can guarantee the conceptual bases in the construction of new practices, seeking to answer to the model of current attention.

Ações dos agentes comunitários de saúde diante do usuário da estratégia saúde da família com estados depressivos no Município de Abaiara-CE-BR

Brazilian health public assistance is going through two Reforms, Sanitary and Psychiatric, and through these the assistance is guaranteed in the three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. Thus, mental health assistance should be offered since preventive cares until the ones that demand larger technological apparatus. Programs like Health Community Agent's Program (HCAP) and Family Health Strategy (FHS), besides increasing the services coverage, have been making possible the system reorientation in the meaning of integrality, universalization and equity. Thus, united intervention of mental health team and FHS can offer several benefits to the population, providing assistance and follow-up to patients with mental disorder. It was aimed to assess health community agents facing the user of Family Health Strategy in depressive state. This quanti-qualitative study took place in the municipal district of Abaiara-CE. Semi-structured interview was applied with health community agents and Beck Depression Inventory with the users registered in Family Health Strategy. It was verified that among the 64 users interviewed, 12.5% didn't present symptoms of depression, 10.9% presented symptoms of light depression, 14.1% symptoms of moderate depression and 62.5% symptoms of serious depression. For the 22 health community agents interviewed, they all reported the existence of people with symptoms of depression in their personal micro-areas, being difficult to work with them, once the FHS team is not qualified to work with mental health problems. It was verified that the Municipal district doesn't have specialized professionals, making difficult the routing and treatment. Based on these results, it was concluded that in spite of the articulation of mental health with FHS is necessary and benefactor to the population, it still doesn't exist, worsening the situation, mainly in small Municipal districts, once they don't have mental health services. Thus, the population is exposed and without follow-up, which allows the identification of installed diseases and with gravity, like depression, because there are no prevention and control activities. It is recommended, due the extreme need, the elaboration and implantation of a mental health program in these municipal districts, articulated with FHS

Atenção à saúde mental na Estratégia Saúde da Família no Município de Parnamirim/RN: opinião dos profissionais, dos portadores de transtornos mentais e seus acompanhantes

This study aims to analyze and compare the opinion of professionals, managers and users about the mental health care in the Family Health Strategy (FHS). It is characterized as an Operations Research or Health System Research with a cross-sectional design and a descriptive quantitative nature. The study was developed from the application of the Opinion Measurement Scale allied to techniques of observation and structured interview in the city of Parnamirim / RN. The sample consists of 409 subjects, 209 professionals of the Family Health Strategy, 30 of the Oral Health Strategy, 19 of the Family Health Support Center, 24 directors of Basic Health Units, plus 68 users with mental disorders and 59 caregivers, respecting the ethical parameters of Resolution 196/96 of the National Health Council, trial registration number: CAAE 0003.0.051.000-11. Quantitative data were submitted to the Epi-info 3.5.2 for analysis. The network of mental health in Parnamirim involves the flow between the FHS, Psychosocial Care Centers, clinics and hospitals, having as main barriers the fragility of the referral and counter-referral system, of the municipal health conferences, of the FHS teams by the limitations in material and human resources as well as the population´s lack of acknowledge about the organization of the mental health network, issues that affect the integral attention. Even though the FHS professionals recognize the importance of their actions, they question their role in mental health care, experiencing difficulties in accessing psychiatric services (76.5%). Although most agree that the mentally ill is best treated in the family than in hospital (65.2%), the community health workers were the predominant category in the partial or total disagreement of this statement (40.8%), who is the professional in greater contact with the family. Nevertheless the caregivers miss the support of the FHS as the main focus of attention is on revenue control. The views of professionals, mental patients and caregivers converged in several statements, showing the main weaknesses to be focused by the mental health network of the city, as the perceptions that: (a) physical strength is needed to take care of mental patients for its tendency to aggression, requiring it to stay in the sanatorium for representing danger to society, (b) only a psychiatrist can help the person with emotional problems, (c) the user of alcohol and drugs does not necessarily develop mental illness, (d) the access barriers and doubts about the quality of psychiatric services, (e) caring of a mental health patient does not bring suffering to professionals. Therefore, the commitment to consensus building, monitoring and evaluation of the network are important mechanisms for an effective management system, reflecting in the importance of strengthening the health conferences and approximating different institutions. The results reinforce the importance of strengthening primary care through programs of continuing education focusing on the actions and functions of professionals in accordance with its competences and duties what contribute to the organization and response of mental health care, favoring user´s care and the promotion of family health

Razão e Fé: estudo do grupo de oração como prática complementar na promoção à saúde

The World Health Organization (WHO) has given special attention to therapeutic procedures other than those practiced in conventional therapy, including homeopathy, phytotherapy, spiritual therapies and prayers, making possible the transition from a mere medicalizating model to a holistic view of the human being. This trend, earmarked in 1978 at the Alma-Ata Conference, questions the ability of technological and specialized medicine to solve the health problems of humankind. In Brazil, the onset of the Brazilian unified health system in 1988, introduced changes in the population s health care model where, within the scope of basic care, emphasis has been given to the Family Health Program since 1994. In this scenery, there is a broad area of complementary practices used in promoting health and preventing and treating diseases to support an understanding of the habits and beliefs underpinning popular practices. The purpose of this study was to analyze the perception users participating in the Peace and Balance group of the Family Health Unit of Nova Cidade, in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, started in 1999, have of the relationship between the experience of prayer and the changes that may have taken place in their lives after joining the group. It is a case study of descriptive nature and qualitative approach. The data were collected during focus group interviews between January and February 2007, using as tools a questionnaire to describe the research participants and a discussion outline. The theoretical support approached the following: religion and the evolution of thought; complementary health practices; and religion as a complementary health practice. Those interviewed reported, as results of such experience, a reduction in stress and depression, an increase in socialization and self-esteem, improved family interaction, comfort, safety, assurance, improved blood pressure levels and a decrease in the use of antihypertension medication and psychopharmacs. Although most professionals do not consider attention to the religious and spiritual aspects an effective therapeutical complement in health care, its understanding and practice may democratize knowledge and relationships, out of which they can learn how to make health production more effective, strengthening assurance and confidence, and developing and expanding soft technologies aimed at health care promotion and wholeness