The effects of professional factors on the quality of life of family health team nurses

The objective of this study was to identify the professional factors affecting the quality of life of nurses working in the family health teams in the Macro Health Region, referred to as the South Triangle, in the State of Minas Gerais. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The participants were 90 nurses, who answered a questionnaire containing the professional variables and the Quality of Life assessment instrument - WHOQOL-100. The results showed a negative impact regarding the number of jobs, unstable jobs, excessive workload and job dissatisfaction in the nurses' Quality of Life domains. There is a need to (re)define the public policies that control the working conditions of these professionals. Actions that contribute towards improving nurses' Quality of Life are important, considering their strong influence on the quality of the healthcare that is delivered.

The Environmental Theme in Representations and Practices of Family Health Professionals in the Municipality of Manaus - State of Amazonas/Brazil

There are abundant scientific evidences showing that the increased risk of exposure to diseases is a consequence of anthropogenic environmental changes. In the Family Health Strategy, tasks with a clear environmental focus are prescribed, indicating to the professional teams that they should consider these aspects in their health practices. The objective of this research was to study representations and practices of Family Health Professionals of Manaus - State of Amazonas, Northern Brazil - about environmental issues and their interface with public health. Data were collected by means of participant observation and semi-structured interviews, and the qualitative analysis was carried out through Content Analysis and Methodological Triangulation. The results showed that most professionals do not understand the environment in a systemic way, even though they recognize the great impact that environmental factors have on human health; as interventions, the educational practices follow traditional methodologies and focus on blaming the individual and on the simple transmission of knowledge; the professionals' relationship with the community is limited to personal and/or collective care. It is concluded that in order to the Family Health Strategy to contribute to restructure the system, it is essential to redirect this new health policy model so that it becomes effective as a social and environmental practice.

A topical outline for the teaching of family health : a life-cycle approach (nursing and midwifery) /

"Project no. AID-PHA/CM/C-73-33"--T.p. verso.

As práticas de saúde do enfermeiro e do agente comunitário de saúde na visita domiciliar da Estratégia Saúde da Família

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo conhecer os sentidos atribuídos pelos enfermeiros e agentes comunitários de saúde da Estratégia Saúde da Família do município do Rio de Janeiro/RJ acerca das práticas de saúde desenvolvidas na visita domiciliar. É um estudo descritivo, de natureza qualitativa e teve como abordagem metodológica a hermenêutica-dialética. O cenário foi a cidade do Rio de Janeiro/RJ, em duas Unidades Básicas de Saúde da Família (UBSF) da Área Programática 3.1. Os sujeitos foram 08 enfermeiros e 07 agentes comunitários de saúde (ACSs) atuantes nas UBSF selecionadas. A coleta de dados foi realizada entre janeiro e março de 2010, por meio de entrevistas semi-estruturadas e para a avaliação dos resultados utilizou-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo proposta por Bardin. A partir dos resultados alcançados foi possível elaborar três categorias de estudo: a primeira trata das práticas de saúde do enfermeiro e do ACS na Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF); a segunda aborda a visita domiciliar do enfermeiro e do ACS, a qual inclui subcategorias sobre o trabalho em equipe na visita domiciliar, as dificuldades na realização da visita domiciliar, o planejamento da visita domiciliar, o vínculo entre enfermeiro, ACS e família na visita domiciliar e a interação profissional do enfermeiro e do ACS na visita domiciliar; a última categoria trata dos sentidos atribuídos pelos enfermeiros e ACSs acerca das práticas de saúde desenvolvidas na visita domiciliar, as quais incluem subcategorias sobre as práticas de saúde do enfermeiro e do ACS na visita domiciliar e as opiniões sobre a visita domiciliar. Com a análise dos dados constatou-se que os enfermeiros e os ACS's desenvolvem diversas práticas de saúde na ESF, com destaque para as práticas de cuidado. As práticas de cuidado do enfermeiro na visita domiciliar estão voltadas para a investigação das necessidades de saúde e realização das atividades assistenciais. Já as do ACS estão voltadas para a identificação de demandas. A escuta ativa, a observação da estrutura física, da alimentação e das relações familiares e a educação em saúde são as principais práticas de cuidado realizadas em conjunto por estes profissionais na visita domiciliar. O percentual de visitas domiciliares semanais do enfermeiro está abaixo do esperado, sendo que a principal justificativa para este baixo índice é a sobrecarga de trabalho na UBSF. Ficou evidente que a interação profissional entre enfermeiro e ACS na visita domiciliar é pequena, pois diversas vezes, o ACS está presente na visita domiciliar do enfermeiro apenas como acompanhante. Por fim, pode-se constatar que o cuidado desenvolvido por enfermeiros e por ACSs é distinto. A prática de cuidado que o enfermeiro desenvolve na visita domiciliar é específica, destinada às famílias com prioridades de saúde e a que o ACS desenvolve é mais ampla, voltada para todas as famílias da microárea. Estas conclusões demonstram a necessidade de estimular enfermeiros e ACSs a (re)pensarem as práticas de saúde desenvolvidas na visita domiciliar, bem como a compreenderem e discutirem seus papéis e a interação nesta atividade.

Estratégias de promoção da saúde a partir da escola e da Unidade Básica de Saúde da Família, em Uberlândia (MG)

Health promotion is opposed directly to the biomedical model and established by intersectoral action, with collective and interdisciplinary approaches, considering the subject in their life contexts. Build healthy territories is to promote health, which necessarily includes intersectoral coordination and community mobilization. The health and education sectors can work together to promote health, developing so articulate actions and practices involving the subject in its territory of life and work. This study aimed to design and experience of health promotion strategies in school and Basic Health Units Family in Uberlândia - MG, from intersectoral relationship and community mobilization. The methodological research route was action research, or research intervention, because while researching already applied the ideas to solve problems through collective action. The research began in the Municipal School of Basic Education Prof. Eurico Silva, with the Health Centre's deployment to carry out surveillance and health promotion with active participation of students, involving all subjects of the school, students, teachers and other staff in the context of everyday life, which extrapolates the school walls, reaching the family and social groups in the community to which they belong. The health observatory has the objective existence with the establishment of the working groups, which at first were "healthy eating" and "drug-free world" and later, "dengue". The themes were chosen by the participants of the Health Centre, in which each is involved preferably. The second part of the research started with the approach between the Centre for Health and the health units (UBS and BFHU). The proposal was that the schools and the health nurse unit together should undertake prevention and health promotion, combating Aedes aegypti with intersectoral coordination and community mobilization. For it was crucial the involvement of ACS, ACE, ASE and the nurse coordinator of the Health Unit in creating community networks in the territory. home visits, community mobilization and intersectoral coordination: a training course in all BFHU and UBS teams with the following subjects was conducted. At this stage, were the Health Units that should approach the schools, in order to provide community networks to fight Aedes aegypti in each territory. The results and the scope of this experiment could only be brought to fruition because the Board of Health Surveillance and Care Coordination council of Basic embraced the proposal and helped in its implementation. It remains to continue consolidating this process of work in health units of primary care and the elementary schools, replicate the Health Centre's experience at school. The conclusion of this work is that schools and care facilities to health together with intersectoral coordination and community mobilization supported by community networks, can carry out prevention and health promotion, from a health model that considers the social determinants of health and overcoming hygienist model / sanitarian.

Family Health Strategy Professionals Facing Medical Social Needs: difficulties and coping strategies

Professionals of Family Health Strategy (FHS) work in communities where there are complex medical social problems. These contexts may lead them to psychological suffering, jeopardizing their care for the users, and creating yet another obstacle to the consolidation of FHS as the primary health care model in Brazil. The study investigated the difficulties and coping strategies reported by health professionals of the FHS teams when they face medical social needs of the communities where they work. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were carried out with 68 professionals of three primary care units in the city of Sao Paulo (Southeastern Brazil). Drug dealing and abuse, alcoholism, depression and domestic violence are the most relevant problems mentioned by the study group. Professionals reported lack of adequate training, work overload, poor working conditions with feelings of professional impotence and frustration. To overcome these difficulties, professionals reported collective strategies, particularly experience sharing during team meetings and matrix support groups. The results indicate that the difficulties may put the professionals in a vulnerable state, similar to the patients they care for. The promotion of specialized and long term support should be reinforced, as well as the interaction with the local network of services and communities leaders. That may help professionals to deal with occupational stress related to medical and social needs present in their routine work; in the end, it may as well contribute to the strengthening of FHS.

A participação do auxiliar em saúde bucal na equipe de saúde e o ambiente odontológico

Introduction: The formation of Oral Health Team, healthy and ergonomic work conditions influence on quality of dental attendance to patient. Objective: In this observational and cross-sectional study, it was observed the participation of the dental assistants (ASB) on dental team on public health, to verify the items related to health legislation, the existence and distribution of equipment in dental offices. Material and method: The data collection was performed using questionnaires and observations on locals for consultation. It were interviewed 75 dentists from 9 cities of Health Regional Department (DRS) – XV – São José do Rio Preto City and it was evaluated 34 dental offices. Result: Of total 75 dentists, 21 (28%) worked alone and among them, 6 (29%) worked at school and 15(71%) at Health Basic Unit (UBS). From 34 dental offices, 2 (6%) did not show any equipment for sterilization and among those that had it, the autoclave was the most used method (44%). Among the analyzed dental offices, 31 (91%) had dustbin for common waste and 23 (68%) of contaminated waste was inadequate. It was noted that 13 (38%) did not have local to wash de hands; in 23 (68%) there was paper towel; in 20 (59%) there was ideal soap dishes, and the compressor was installed into dental offices in 5 (15%) of local for attendance. In relation to dental offices adequacy for the help work, all of them (n = 19) were dissatisfied. Conclusion: The existence of ASB was present in the Centers of Dental Specialties (CEO) and Units of Family Health due legal exigencies and it were found inadequate healthy and ergonomic conditions, suggesting the necessity of reorganization of w

Accuracy of Screening for Potentially Malignant Disorders of the Oral Mucosa by Dentists in Primary Care

Purpose: To examine the accuracy of a screening programme for potentially malignant disorders of the oral mucosa by visual inspection in primary health care. Materials and Methods: The study was based on secondary data from the Primary Care Information System maintained by seven units of family health in Sao Paulo City managed by a non-governmental agency. The reference population was composed of 15,072 residents 50 years old or more of both genders. The study population comprised 2,980 individuals. During screening in community settings, the oral mucosa was examined by trained dentists and distributed into two categories: (a) screen negative (b) screen positive. All participants underwent comprehensive clinical exams by a general dental practitioner supervised by a specialist. Individual records were grouped in a working dataset. Point and 95% confidence interval estimates were calculated regarding measures of sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp) and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV, respectively). Results: 18.0% of the population was considered screen positive. A total of 133 lesions (4.5%) were identified and 8 cases of oral cancer were confirmed, which corresponded to a prevalence rate of 27 cases in 10,000 people, a much higher rate than expected. The measures found were Se: 91.7% (85.3-95.6), Sp: 85.4% (84.1-86.7), PPV: 22.7% (19.3-26.5), NPV: 99.5% (99.2-99.8). The visual screen presented high accuracy. Conclusion: The test presented high sensibility and specificity values. From a public health point of view, the high accuracy levels showed the importance of oral health teams on family health strategy for more comprehensive primary care. Targeting risk groups and delegating the screening to community health agents may improve PPV and coverage.

O estresse no trabalho dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde do Município do Rio de Janeiro

O estudo das dimensões psicossociais do trabalho tem aumentado em importância nas últimas décadas, devido ao novo contexto político e econômico mundial de globalização, que determina mudanças no mundo do trabalho e expõe trabalhadores a fatores de risco ocupacional, entre eles o estresse. A categoria profissional do Agente Comunitário de Saúde (ACS), criada no contexto das reformas sanitárias atravessadas pelo Brasil desde a década de 80, tem como um dos principais propósitos atuar na reorganização do sistema de saúde do país. O ACS tem como especificidade e pré-requisitos a necessidade de ser morador da região atendida pela Equipe de Saúde da Família, fato este responsável por um aspecto único dentro do estudo na área de saúde do trabalhador. Nesse cenário o enfermeiro exerce papel de liderança e possui uma característica marcante, que é a manutenção de constante contato com a comunidade, realizando atividades de grande interação com os ACS, devendo evitar ou minimizar fatores estressores e possíveis agravos à saúde no âmbito da Saúde do Trabalhador. O presente estudo tem como objeto o trabalho do ACS como gerador de estresse ocupacional no Programa de Saúde da Família. Tem como objetivo geral discutir o estresse ocupacional na percepção dos ACS no PSF, numa Área Programática do Município do Rio de Janeiro. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo e de abordagem qualitativa. O cenário do estudo foram Unidades de Saúde da Família do Município do Rio de Janeiro, e os sujeitos 32 ACS inseridos em três módulos do PSF. A coleta de dados foi realizada através de entrevistas individuais semi-estruturadas, organizadas e analisadas utilizando a metodologia da Análise de Conteúdo, a partir da qual foram identificadas as seguintes categorias: frustração, trabalho do ACS, representação do trabalho, processo de trabalho, o estresse e relação trabalho x saúde. Os resultados identificam o baixo reconhecimento interferindo na produtividade e na auto-estima, excessiva intensidade e ritmo empregados no trabalho, valorização da burocracia na execução do trabalho, violência como fator de insegurança e reconhece a interferência do estresse na saúde tanto física quanto psíquica. A análise do trabalho do ACS atuante no PSF aponta aspectos que dificultam sua plena atuação, assim como a prática estende-se para além dos conceitos normatizados contidos nas Portarias e outros instrumentos que regulamentam suas atribuições. O trabalho real representa um universo mais complexo e rico do que o trabalho prescrito, que nesse estudo, apresentou-se como fonte geradora de tensão, adoecimento e mal estar, expresso nas vocalizações de queixas.

A organização do dots em um distrito sanitário de Natal/RN, 2009

Tuberculosis is an ancient disease that remains a serious problem of Public Health, requiring a pressing attention. Advances in the knowledge and technology available to control it has not been sufficient to significantly impact on morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries. To enable patient compliance with TB treatment, preventing the abandonment of this to ensure the correct use of medicines has been suggested the DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment - Short course) or directly Observable Short Course Treatment. This study focuses on the incorporation of two technical components of the DOTS strategy at the Family Health, namely, active search for respiratoy symptoms and Supervisioned Treatment (ST). The West Sanitary District was considered best suited to be the focus of study because it is assumed that those sites that were better structured would provide better information about the situation of the strategy in the municipality. Its purpose is to analyze the organization of DOTS as the active search for respiratory symptoms and Directly Observed Therapy in Health Teams Family belonging to a Health District in the city of Natal, Brazil. An exploratory descriptive study with a quantitative approach which involved health professionals from 11 units of Family Health, West Sanitary District, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. We interviewed 62 professionals on the professional category, their involvement in the DOTS strategy, managers' contributions to the sustainability of the strategy, actions Search for symptomatic diagnosis and supervised treatment of TB cases and difficulties and facilities for the sustainability of the DOTS strategy. It is concluded that the actions taken by the professionals of the FHS West Health District are organized in more supervised treatment, a fact noted in their perceptions about DOTS

O fazer teórico-prático do nutricionista na estratégia saúde da família: representações sociais dos profissionais das equipes

Pós-graduação em Alimentos e Nutrição - FCFAR

O programa Saúde da Família e a promoção do envelhecimento saudável

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The viewpoint of health professionals on the role of basic units in the healthcare network of the Brazilian Unified Health System

In the process of creation of the Unified Health System (SUS) as a universal policy seeking to ensure comprehensive care, unscheduled assistance in primary healthcare units (UBS) is an unresolved challenge. The scope of this paper is to analyze the viewpoint of health professionals on the role of primary healthcare units in meeting this demand. It is a transversal study of qualitative data obtained through questionnaires and interviews with 106 medical practitioners from 6 emergency medical services and 190 professionals from 30 units. They explained why people seek emergency care for occurrences pertaining to primary care. The content analysis technique with thematic categories was used for data analysis. Lack of resources and problems with primary health unit work processes (50.8%) were the reasons most frequently cited by emergency care physicians to explain this inadequate demand. Only 33.3% of the health unit professionals agreed that these occurrences should be attended in the primary healthcare services. The limited viewpoint of the role of health services on the unscheduled care, particularly among primary care professionals, possibly leads to restrictive practices for access by the population.

Mental health and life satisfaction of young Australians : the role of family background

This paper uses the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey to investigate the factors that influence young Australians’ mental health and life satisfaction, with an emphasis upon the role of family background. It also explores male and female differences concerning those background effects. The results indicate a particularly significant negative association between parental divorce and well-being, and suggest that the timing of divorce matters. Distinguishing the samples by gender shows that this relationship remains significant only for females. Past living arrangements consistently turn out to be statistically insignificant whether the sample used is the total, males or females. The current living arrangements, however, appear to be significantly associated with both mental health and life satisfaction of males. Adding potentially confounding characteristics to our basic regression, which includes only the family background variables, suggests that some of the ‘aggregate’ effects of family background might work indirectly through the mediating variables such as education or lifestyles, though most of them remain direct. Among those, marital status, education, labour market experience and lifestyles seem to be the major factors explaining the dispersion in well-being of young Australians. Income and wealth, on the other hand, have only a minor impact.