DESAFIOS DOS ESPAÇOS DE PARTICIPAÇÃO SOCIAL EM UNIDADES DE SAÚDE DA FAMÍLIA

Abstract

Describe challenges for social participation spaces in Family Health Units (FHU), in order to explore horizons and strategies for the qualification of these spaces. This is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study, guided by individual semi-structured interviews with 33 participants, including health professionals and users of five FHU in João Pessoa-PB-Brazil. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis. Based on the experiences and perceptions of the interviewees, challenges such as: difficulties in accessing financial and material resources to carry out participatory activities, limited physical space in the FHU, little community adherence to the presence in the actions, as well as evasion of the same in the course of the developed experiences. In addition, the qualification of the dissemination of actions and greater attractiveness in the organization of them were pointed out as important steps towards the enhancement of these participatory spaces. There are management and organizational challenges that directly affect the dimension of social participation in the actions of the FHU, as well as structural difficulties with regard to the sense of belonging and community involvement. Prioritizing this issue and verifying management and training procedures, attitudes and processes that are capable of increasing the participatory culture in the population and in the daily life of services is imperative in the perspective of building a comprehensive, universal and equitable health service, contributing to the consolidation of the Unified Health System (SUS).