ANALYSIS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF FAMILY HEALTH STRATEGY TEAMS IN RURAL, FOREST AND WATER TERRITORIES IN CEARÁ

Abstract

Introduction: The Family Health Strategy (FHS) has been the main factor in improving Primary Health Care (PHC) in Brazil. This research addresses the Populations of the Countryside, Forest and Waters (PCFA), characterized by people whose way of life is related to nature. Objective: To analyze the performance of FHS teams in PCFA territories in Ceará. Method: This is an exploratory and descriptive cross-sectional study, with an intentional sample carried out with 68 health professionals and users of rural FHS teams from the municipalities of Crato, Itapipoca, Quiterianópolis and Trairi, where all participants were linked to significant experiences developed in these territories. The teams and communities were selected by receiving innovative experiences registered by community members and health professionals on the SERPOVOS website (https://ceara.fiocruz.br/serpovos/). From this registry, four municipalities were selected where the experiences were located in rural areas, which served popular communities/movements from the countryside, forests and waters. The research participants were invited to participate in a workshop and to answer an instrument consisting of a participant characterization form and a questionnaire. Statistical analyses of the implementation of PHC attributes were performed. Results: The 68 research participants were predominantly women (61.8%), aged 31 to 50 years (47%). The evaluation of the presence of the essential attributes of PHC in the territories presented weaknesses. Only the longitudinality attribute presented a favorable result with 80.7% of the responses and the other parameters did not achieve the desired results. Conclusion: It was observed the need to encourage the practice of the attributes of the National Primary Care Policy by professionals of the ESF teams and users, since many of the parameters common to the teams are not being carried out in rural territories.