A caderneta de saúde da criança na atenção primária à saúde

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the use of the Child Health Handbook in Primary Care.Methods: Observational, cross-sectional and descriptive study. A questionnaire was aplicated on children up to 3 years of age assisted by Primary Health Care using their Child Health Handbooks. The variables analyzed were: sex, age, monitoring of neuropsychomotor development, weight, length, head circumference, Body Mass Index and vaccination data. The presence, absence and adequacy of the data were evaluated. Results: The sample consisted of 68 children. Weight and BMI were not filled in 33.8% and 77.9% of the Handbooks, respectively. The length was unsatisfactory in 38.2% of the records, being more absent as the child's age increases, 21.7% of the children under 6 months, 80% between 7 - 23 months and with 100% of incomplete records between 24 - 36 months. Head circumference was unsatisfactory in 39.7% of the Handbooks. Neuropsychomotor development was the least completed item, 82.4% of unregistered books, among the books containing some record, 41.6% were incomplete. Children had vaccines missing in 27.9% of the Handbooks. Conclusion: There is a major flaw in the use of Child Health Handbook in primary care. Children younger than 6 months are better followed and with their growth the quality of their monitoring decreases.