Serviços-escola de psicologia do Rio Grande do Norte: formação profissional e política pública de saúde em debate

The Psychology University Services is stablished normatively as an indispensable equipment to the recognition of the graduation courses of psychologists by the Brazilian Education Ministery. The Public Healthcare Policies (Universal Health System/SUS) constitutes itself as a input field of the professional category, but shows huge challenges in the formation of these professionals. The objective of this work is to analyse the functioning of the Psychology University Services (SEP) and the Superior Educational Institutions from Natal, understood as important formation devices to attend the actual demands of the psychologist's work on SUS. For this, it sought a) characterize the psychological practices developed in the SEP; b) relate the National Curricular Lines of Direction of the psychology courses to the skills and competences developed in the SEP to the performance on the public healthcare policies; c) mapping ways of including the SEP in the network designed by the healthcare policy. Interviews were performed with 13 academic supervisors, 8 field supervisors and technicians of superior level (TNC), along with 9 managers, being for of the Psychology University Services and 5 of the graduation programs. Questionnaires were also applied to 57 interns and 24 graduates. Besides that, two conversation circles were performed with the faculty and technician members from two of the Educational Institutions that were participating of the research, as well as a workshop with students and psychologists, promoted by the CRP 17. We observed that most part of the faculty members and managers know the DCN and comprehend that the formation is in process of change in what concerns to the extension of the formation to the performance of the psychologists in various contexts. However, most part of the TNC don't know about them. Moreover, the results point to the predominance of the assisting model based on the traditional clinic psychology, although the articulation with the public healthcare and social assistance networks can already be timidly visualized. Different modalities of practices in theses Psychology University Services were also detected, such as conversation groups, thematic workshops, organizational consultancies, team meetings with the interns and TNS in a daily basis, matriciament in mental health, therapeutic monitoring, among others. Yet, the SEP in Rio Grande do Norte are still isolated from the other courses that perform in the healthcare area and also from the services that compose the public healthcare and public policies.

Cuidado psicossocial em saúde mental: estudo em assentamentos rurais do Rio Grande do Norte

Dwellers of agrarian reform settlements have a life conditioned by poor living and work conditions, difficulties accessing health programs, social assistance and other public policies and by this exacerbating their psychosocial and environmental vulnerability, which has an impact on their mental health. This research investigates the availability of support by the health and social assistance staff, regarding the demands of common mental disorders and alcohol abuse of dwellers of nine settlements in Rio Grande do Norte. Fifty three experts from different professional categories were interviewed individually or in groups. The results indicate that the workers suffer from poor working conditions, attributes of patrimonial heritage and welfare, which still survives in Brazilian social policies and particularly at local administrations of the countryside. The staffs have little knowledge of the local conditions and of the mental health needs, which has a negative impact on the reception and offered care. The implemented health care still corresponds to the biomedical logic, characterized by ethnocentrism, technicality, biology, cure, individualism and specialization, with little participation of the dwellers and disregarding the traditional knowledge and practices of local health care and by this not achieving the expected results. The psychosocial attendance is not well coordinated, presenting problems with the follow-up and continuity of care. The psychosocial mental health care in rural context has to face the challenge of the reorganization of the health care networks, the establishment of primary health care close to the people’s everyday life, building intersectional practices considering a health multidetermination and health education connected to these specific contexts. Due to the lack of knowledge of the specifics of the life conditions of the dwellers and the fragmentation of the psychosocial health care network, these staffs do not abide and are not ready to face the mental health needs in order to interfere with these health iniquities.

Cuidado psicossocial em saúde mental: estudo em assentamentos rurais do Rio Grande do Norte

Dwellers of agrarian reform settlements have a life conditioned by poor living and work conditions, difficulties accessing health programs, social assistance and other public policies and by this exacerbating their psychosocial and environmental vulnerability, which has an impact on their mental health. This research investigates the availability of support by the health and social assistance staff, regarding the demands of common mental disorders and alcohol abuse of dwellers of nine settlements in Rio Grande do Norte. Fifty three experts from different professional categories were interviewed individually or in groups. The results indicate that the workers suffer from poor working conditions, attributes of patrimonial heritage and welfare, which still survives in Brazilian social policies and particularly at local administrations of the countryside. The staffs have little knowledge of the local conditions and of the mental health needs, which has a negative impact on the reception and offered care. The implemented health care still corresponds to the biomedical logic, characterized by ethnocentrism, technicality, biology, cure, individualism and specialization, with little participation of the dwellers and disregarding the traditional knowledge and practices of local health care and by this not achieving the expected results. The psychosocial attendance is not well coordinated, presenting problems with the follow-up and continuity of care. The psychosocial mental health care in rural context has to face the challenge of the reorganization of the health care networks, the establishment of primary health care close to the people’s everyday life, building intersectional practices considering a health multidetermination and health education connected to these specific contexts. Due to the lack of knowledge of the specifics of the life conditions of the dwellers and the fragmentation of the psychosocial health care network, these staffs do not abide and are not ready to face the mental health needs in order to interfere with these health iniquities.

Distribuição da fauna triatomínica e infecção natural pelo Trypanosoma cruzi em diferentes municípios do semiárido do Rio Grande do Norte

The triatomine fauna distribution and the natural infection by Trypanosoma cruzi was evaluated aiming the comprehension of the transmission dynamics of this parasite in the countryside of the State of Rio Grande do Norte. Additionally, the research for Trypanosoma rangeli was also investigated. The captures of triatomines were performed at sylvatic, peridomicile and domicile environments at different municipalities of the central and western mesoregions of this state. The insects were identified and examined by direct method, xenoculture and PCR to detect T. cruzi. The detection of T. rangeli was performed by direct examination of the hemolymph and multiplex PCR of 151 positive specimens for T. cruzi. Of 824 captured insects, the species were distributed in Triatoma brasiliensis (66.4%), Triatoma pseudomaculata (18.2%), Panstrongylus lutzi (12.7%) and Rhodnius nasutus (2.7%), and T. brasiliensis was found in most of the evaluated municipalities. The species were captured at nymph and adult stages, except P. lutzi, exclusively in adult stage. In the sylvatic environment were captured T. brasiliensis (57%), P. lutzi (28%) and T. pseudomaculata (15%) species. At the peridomicile environment were identified T. brasiliensis (74%), T. pseudomaculata (21%) and R. nasutus (5.0%), while in the intradomicile was found only T. brasiliensis. The infection rate of triatomines by T. cruzi was 30.4%, P. lutzi showed highest rate (78%), followed by T. brasiliensis (24.4%), T. pseudomaculata (22.6%) and R. nasutus (4.5%). Infected triatomines indexes at silvatic, peridomicile and domicile environments were of 41.8%, 20.1% and 50.0%, respectively. T. rangeli was only detected by multiplex PCR in 2.6% (4/151) of examined insects, of these 4.4% (3/67) were T. brasiliensis and 1.5% (1/63) P. lutzi species. The data showed that the positivity of P. lutzi allied to its ability to invade domicile attracted by light, suggests a likely participation of this insect between epidemiological transmission cycles of T. cruzi. T. brasiliensis was the only specie present in all environments, what reinforces its importance related to the capacity for adapting to the domestic environment, potential as a vector, and maintenance of sylvatic and domestic transmissions cycles in the semiarid, indicating the necessity of continuous epidemiological surveillance. The presence of T. rangeli in T. brasiliensis and P. lutzi was first recorded in rural zone of this State, broadening the area of occurrence of this protozoan in northeastern Brazil.

Distribuição da fauna triatomínica e infecção natural pelo Trypanosoma cruzi em diferentes municípios do semiárido do Rio Grande do Norte

The triatomine fauna distribution and the natural infection by Trypanosoma cruzi was evaluated aiming the comprehension of the transmission dynamics of this parasite in the countryside of the State of Rio Grande do Norte. Additionally, the research for Trypanosoma rangeli was also investigated. The captures of triatomines were performed at sylvatic, peridomicile and domicile environments at different municipalities of the central and western mesoregions of this state. The insects were identified and examined by direct method, xenoculture and PCR to detect T. cruzi. The detection of T. rangeli was performed by direct examination of the hemolymph and multiplex PCR of 151 positive specimens for T. cruzi. Of 824 captured insects, the species were distributed in Triatoma brasiliensis (66.4%), Triatoma pseudomaculata (18.2%), Panstrongylus lutzi (12.7%) and Rhodnius nasutus (2.7%), and T. brasiliensis was found in most of the evaluated municipalities. The species were captured at nymph and adult stages, except P. lutzi, exclusively in adult stage. In the sylvatic environment were captured T. brasiliensis (57%), P. lutzi (28%) and T. pseudomaculata (15%) species. At the peridomicile environment were identified T. brasiliensis (74%), T. pseudomaculata (21%) and R. nasutus (5.0%), while in the intradomicile was found only T. brasiliensis. The infection rate of triatomines by T. cruzi was 30.4%, P. lutzi showed highest rate (78%), followed by T. brasiliensis (24.4%), T. pseudomaculata (22.6%) and R. nasutus (4.5%). Infected triatomines indexes at silvatic, peridomicile and domicile environments were of 41.8%, 20.1% and 50.0%, respectively. T. rangeli was only detected by multiplex PCR in 2.6% (4/151) of examined insects, of these 4.4% (3/67) were T. brasiliensis and 1.5% (1/63) P. lutzi species. The data showed that the positivity of P. lutzi allied to its ability to invade domicile attracted by light, suggests a likely participation of this insect between epidemiological transmission cycles of T. cruzi. T. brasiliensis was the only specie present in all environments, what reinforces its importance related to the capacity for adapting to the domestic environment, potential as a vector, and maintenance of sylvatic and domestic transmissions cycles in the semiarid, indicating the necessity of continuous epidemiological surveillance. The presence of T. rangeli in T. brasiliensis and P. lutzi was first recorded in rural zone of this State, broadening the area of occurrence of this protozoan in northeastern Brazil.

"Do alto da colina" - a província do Rio Grande do Norte, o comércio, os rios Potengi e Jundiaí e o complexo comercial do Guarapes 1850 - 1900

The commercial complex Guarapes was during the second half of the nineteenth century most commercial street of Rio Grande do Norte province. In that time frame, you can see its flourishing as one of the central places of trade in the province in 1850, and its subsequent abandonment in 1900. This thesis aims to investigate, in its first part, the paths that help to understand, as the context of the expansion of global markets in the second half of the nineteenth century enabled the conditions for the emergence of the commercial complex. However, trade relations established in this province through the commercial complex, even participating in this global environment, reserved particular characteristics in their social and trade relations, as if dealing with a peripheral province, we look at the uniqueness of the relationship occurred in this space. In the second part, we seek to understand the importance that the rivers Potengi and Jundiaí had to install the commercial complex Guarapes in the second half of the nineteenth century. As the geographical position in relation to rivers, enabled this space became flow zone and confluence of goods distributed to the various parts of the interior of the province. We also monitor the process that made these rivers leave the role of mobility and transport relations in this space, giving way the railways and roads shooting. In the third part, we seek to understand the commercial complex Guarapes in focus. Analyzing their spatial distribution on the landscape, and how the spatial organization held at the same time traces of the Brazilian patriarchy exposed by Gilberto Freyre, but also "modern" features, due to the increase of a new culture inserted material in the province. We also seek to understand elements of material culture that was the environment of the complex, and how these materials are important sources for understanding this society under study. We treat from the biggest to the smallest fragments without hierarchize them. Understanding that, the study associated the written sources and materials provide a gain in understanding of everyday these people who lived in that area of the complex in the second half of the nineteenth century.

A paisagem da Mata Atlântica do estado do Rio Grande do Norte: remanescentes, configuração espacial e disponibilidade de habitat

The Atlantic Forest in Rio Grande do Norte (RN) is included in Pernambuco biogeographic sub-region and it is composed by Semi-deciduous Forest, deciduous Forest, Mangrove and Restinga. We assessed the conservation status of Atlantic Forest in the RN through remnants mapping using high resolution satellite images and landscape ecology approaches. We evaluated if there is difference between the north and south coastal regions considering their natural a historical land use differences. We also assessed the influence of the small remnants on landscape cover and configuration. The proportion of the original biome area with remnants larger than 3 hectares is 15.60% for the official governmental limit and is 16.60% for the alternative limit (SNE, 2002). This remnants proportion varies between 0.56 and 46.52% in the hydrographic basins. 89.70% of the remnants are smaller than 50 hectares. Only 6.00% of the remnants are greater than 100 hectares, and these remnants are responsible by 65% of remaining area. The patches with smaller area influence all calculated metrics. The south coastal hydrographic basins have higher percentage of coverage of remnants, larger patch densities and fragments with larger areas than north coastal hydrographic basins. The diffuse drainage basins of the southern coastal have the highest percentage of coverage with remnants. 18.28% and 10% of the biome area are protected by reserves, according to the official governmental and alternative limits respectively. The reserves are mainly of sustainable use (IUCN V-VI). Therefore, the Atlantic Forest in Rio Grande do Norte is in critical situation, with low proportion of remaining area and high fragmentation level. It’s indispensable to biome conservation keep all the remaining area, especially the large remnants, and restore areas to increase remnants proportion and to increase landscape connectivity

O comportamento eleitoral da nova classe trabalhadora no Rio Grande do Norte 2014: ideologia, avaliação de governo e voto

This thesis investigates the voting behavior of the fractions of the new working class in Rio Grande do Norte, more specifically in the cities of Natal, Mossoró and Caicó, from the presidential election of 2014. This research examined the ideology, the evaluation of government and guidance the vote of a portion of the working classes of RN voters. In Brazil, from 2003, socio-economic change has occurred perceptibly, especially in a part of the working classes who ascended socially and switched to the "C economic class." Thus, there was this period, a significant expansion of this social stratum. The expansion of the "class C" in the past decade in Brazil raised the academic debate and in the media about the emergence of a "new middle class". Neri (2008) termed the "class C" of the "new middle class" and that will be the central part of their studies. But the debate on the "new middle class" can not be simplistic to the point of considering that social mobility, the main variable income, entered this segment of the population in the middle class, because it has different specificities of the popular classes. To understand this phenomenon, the income variable was outdated, adding the importance of ownership of the means of production, control of labor power and the symbolic values in the division of social classes resulting in three fractions of the new working class: the management positions, non-heads and small fighters. In this study, using as a complement to the sociological approach (ideologies and social classes) and the performance evaluation was identified that the new working class (heads) mainly reproduced the ideological and political positioning of the middle class, resulting in the rejection of PT governments (2003-2014) and it’s social, compensatory and redistributive policies. From what has been seen, the new working class (chiefs) approaches the ideological and political behavior of the middle class that will reflect in their electoral choices and class interests. The new working class (not heads and small fighters who voted in the situation) because of its classist and ideological interests approached the Workers' Party positively evaluating the Lula-Dilma governments (2003-2014) due to the implementation of compensatory policies, and redistributive programs government turned to the popular classes. In a counterpoint, the voters of the new working class (not heads and small fighters) who voted null, reproduced the discourse of mainstream media and the middle class about the rejection of compensatory policies, redistribution and government programs of Lula-Dilma governments, and consequently they disapproved of the government Dilma and her candidacy.

Política de promoção da exportação : um olhar sobre a evolução da cultura de melão do Rio Grande do Norte

Some sectors in Brazil are earning notoriety in the international market, configuring itself in dynamic areas for the Country. The most typical case is the agribusiness. Rio Grande do Norte state has important role, because 90% of the output of the melon exported by Brazil is produced at Assu/Mossoró. The present work planned to verify the evolution of the culture of the melon produced at Assu/Mossoró area, from 1990 to 2003. Through descriptive research, utilizing the case study and documentary analysis of secondary data this work showed the evolution of the area reaped of melon in the pole Assu/Mossoró, the quantity produced of melon and of the value of the output of the melon between 1990 and 2003. The research verified that all of the factors studied show growth during the analyzed period, showing up the importance of the agribusiness for the region. However the analysis shows the vulnerability of the sector concerning external macroeconomics factors, such as the exchange rates. Showing the importance and/or dependence of the producers for public actions to development of the culture, that might be on areas like infrastructure, economics or taxes

Cultura e clima organizacionais: um estudo multicasos em indústrias de laticínios do estado do Rio Grande do Norte

The objective of this study is to investigate if exist relationship between organizational culture and the organizational climate, having as research s locus three dairy industries in the Rio Grande do Norte State. As such, an exploratory-descriptive and conclusive-causal study, with a sample composed of 211 employees of all firms hierarchical levels was undertaken. By way the data collection, the employees personal characteristics, the predominant organizational culture profile and the predominant organizational climate in the industries researched were identified. In order to analyse the organizational culture, the Competing Value Model (CAMERON; QUINN, 2006), with adaptations by Santos (1998, 2000), was used. In order to analyse the organizational climate, the Organizational Climate Measurement Scale, proposed by Martins (et al., 2004, 2008), with modifications, was used. The data were submitted to quantitative statistical analyses, firstly to the set of firms and afterwards to the firms alone, that permitted arrival to the following conclusions: the cultural profiles was met in a balanced way in the researched organizations, with emphasis to clan culture and market culture profiles; the researched organizations have a good organizational climate, based in the Martins (2008) classification, with emphasis to boss and organization s support and physical comfort , being these factors coherent whit the clan culture profile; the personal variables are correlated with the cultural profiles and with the organizational climate factors, however, each organization show its singular form of relation; and the cultural profiles showed influence on organizational climate factors. Thus, the results permitted to conclude that there are relations between the cultural profiles and the organizational climate factors in the researched organizations

Os programas de incentivo à cultura e o processo de fomento às organizações culturais no Rio Grande do Norte: o caso da Casa da Ribeira em Natal

Since the emergence of the first demands for actions that were intended to give greater attention to culture in Brazil, came the first discussions which concerned the way the Brazilian government could have a positive influence in encouraging the culture, as is its interaction with the actors interested and involved with the cause. During the military dictatorship, there were programs which relied on the direct participation of the State to ensure that right, from the viewpoint of its support and implementation of public resources in developing the "cultural product" to be brought to society in its various forms of expression - all this, funded by the government. It is an example of "EMBRAFILMES" and "Projeto Seis e Meia", continued until the present day in some regions of the country, though maintained by entities not directly connected with the administration or the government. However, it was from the period of democratization and the end of the dictatorship that the Brazilian government began to look at the different culture, under its guarantee to the society. Came the first incentive laws, led by "Lei Sarney" Nº 7.505/86, which was culture as a segment which could receive foreign assistance in order to assist the government in fulfilling its public duty. After Collor era and the end of the embargo through the encouragement of culture incentive laws, consolidated the incentive model proposed in advance of Culture "Lei Sarney" and the federal laws, state and local regimentares as close to this action. This applies to the Rouanet Law (Lei Rouanet), Câmara Cascudo Law (Lei Câmara Cascudo) and Djalma Maranhão Cultural Incentive Law (Lei de Incentivo à Cultura Djalma Maranhão), existing in Natal and Rio Grande do Norte. Since then, business entities could help groups and cultural organizations to keep their work from the political sponsorship under control and regiment through the Brazilian state in the form of their Cultural Incentive Law. This framework has contributed to the strengthening of NGOs and with the consolidation of these institutions as the linchpin of Republican guaranteeing the right to access to culture, but corporate social responsibility was the one who took off in the segment treated here, through the actions of Responsibility Cultural enterprises arising from the Cultural Organizations. Therefore, in the face of this discourse, this study ascertains the process of encouraging the Culture in Rio Grande do Norte from the Deviant Case Analysis at the Casa da Ribeira, the main Cultural Organization that operates, focused action in Natal in order to assess the relationships established between the same entity and the institutions which are entitled to maintain the process of encouraging treated in this study - Enterprise, from the viewpoint of corporate sponsorship and Cultural Responsibility and State in the form of the Laws Incentive Funds and Public Culture Incentive

A produção do mobiliário urbano nos espaços públicos :o desenho do mobiliário urbano nos projetos de reordenamento das orlas do Rio Grande do Norte

This work aims to analyze and evaluate the Urban furniture designed to public areas according to the Revitalization planning for Rio Grande do Norte coastland, defining visual relations among urban elements in the landscape of revitalized public urban areas with cultural, paisagistic and touristic values and the design process used for developing urban furniture to those areas, observing the incoming consequences use to that process in a specific urban context which alters use, functions, cultural images as well as social values attributed to each particular place. Environmental perceptions, legibility of local cultural references and their representation through the design of urban elements, act in a positive or negative manner over the inhabitants cognition process of some particular revitalized area, determining new use and attributions to those areas. Designs for coastal urban interventions try excessively to standardize technical media, construction materials and planning configurations, creating artificial sceneries that segregates users, imposing new structures and usage, generating, consequently, the so called non-places and burlesque regionalism. The research is divided into 4 chapters: 1) Theoretical support (Industrial design; Urban furniture; Public urban spaces; Urban image and environmental perception; Urban occupation and interventions in coastland areas); 2) Methodological procedures and data collection; 3) Analysis of Rio Grande do Norte coastal areas and their urban interventions; 4) Final considerations and Industrial Design contributions to the subject

Ecologia reprodutiva do peixe-donzela, Stegastes fuscus cuvier, 1830 (osteichthyes: pomacentridae) em arrecifes rochosos da praia de Búzios, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

The reproductive ecology of fish plays a key role both for rational exploitation methods and for protective measures of natural stocks. The purpose of this study was to analyze the reproductive aspects of the damsel-fish, Stegastes fuscus, during October 2004 to September 2005, in the coastal rocky reefs of Búzios Beach, Nísia Floresta, RN. Fish were captured using hooks and hand nets, during low tide. Reproduction was determined using sexual ratio, mean length of first maturation (L50), absolute fecundity and macroscopic characteristics of gonads. The following parameters were related to gonadosomatic index (GSI): condition factor (CF), hepatosomatic index (HSI), rain fall and temperature. In relation to sex distribution, it was observed that 78% were females and 22% were males. The L50 was 6.2 cm for females and 7.0 for males. Average fecundity was 6832 oocytes. Results showed that S. fuscus had better body condition in the months prior to spawning, particularly during initial and intermediate stages of maturation. Five stages of gonadal maturation were identified through macroscopic analysis: immature, in maturation, mature, spent and resting. The HSI was inversely related to the GSI. This was possibly due to the reproductive cycle of this species which was associated to the dry period of this region. During this period, low rain fall and high temperatures provide an propitious reproductive condition for the study species

Características limnológicas e estrutura trófica das comunidades de peixes de alguns lagos naturais e artificiais do Rio Grande do Norte

Artificial lakes must differ from natural lakes in important structural and functional aspects that need to be understood so that these ecosystems can be properly managed. The aim of this work was to test the hypothesis that the artificial lakes (impoundments) in the semi-arid region of the Rio Grande do Norte State are more eutrophic and turbid and have different trophic structure when compared to the natural coastal lakes that occur in the humid eastern coast of the State. To test this hypothesis, 10 natural lakes and 8 artificial lakes with about 100 ha were sampled between September and November 2005 for the determination of some limnological variables and the abundance of the main fish species, which were grouped in three trophic guilds: facultative piscivores, facultative planktivores and omnivores. The results show that the artificial lakes had significantly higher concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a , total and volatile suspended solids than the natural lakes. Results also show that the values of pH, total alkalinity, electric conductivity, turbidity as well as the coefficient of vertical attenuation of light were significantly higher in the artificial lakes than in the natural lakes. In the artificial lakes, the abundance of facultative planktivores was significantly higher, while the abundance of facultative piscivores significantly lower than in the natural lakes. There was no significant difference in the abundance of omnivorous fish between the two types of lakes. These results suggest that the increase in turbidity together with the other changes in the water quality of the artificial lakes, modifies the trophic structure of the fish communities reducing the importance of piscivores and the length of the food chains

Potencialidades de cultivo de macroalgas no litoral do Rio Grande do Norte (NE, Brasil): uma perspectiva de integração de dados ambientais em sistemas de informação geográfica (SIG)

Since centuries ago, the Asians use seaweed as an important source of feeding and are their greatest world-wide consumers. The migration of these peoples for other countries, made the demand for seaweed to increase. This increasing demand prompted an industry with annual values of around US$ 6 billion. The algal biomass used for the industry is collected in natural reservoirs or cultivated. The market necessity for products of the seaweed base promotes an unsustainable exploration of the natural banks, compromising its associated biological balance. In this context, seaweed culture appears as a viable alternative to prevent the depletion of these natural supplies. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide space and produce information that can facilitate the evaluation of important physical and socio-economic characteristics for the planning of seaweed culture. This objective of this study is to identify potential coastal areas for seaweed culture in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, from the integration of social-environmental data in the SIG. In order to achieve this objective, a geo-referred database composed of geographical maps, nautical maps and orbital digital images was assembled; and a bank of attributes including physical and oceanographical variables (winds, chains, bathymetry, operational distance from the culture) and social and environmental factors (main income, experience with seaweed harvesting, demographic density, proximity of the sheltered coast and distance of the banks) was produced. In the modeling of the data, the integration of the space database with the bank of attributes for the attainment of the map of potentiality of seaweed culture was carried out. Of a total of 2,011 ha analyzed by the GIS for the culture of seaweed, around 34% or 682 ha were indicated as high potential, 55% or 1,101 ha as medium potential, and 11% or 228 ha as low potential. The good indices of potentiality obtained in the localities studied demonstrate that there are adequate conditions for the installation of seaweed culture in the state of Rio Grande do Norte