Evaluation of the implementation of the School Health Program from the Program for Access and Quality Improvement in Primary Care: 2012, 2014, and 2018

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the implementation and describe the actions developed in the School Health Program (PSE) by primary care health teams that joined the Brazilian National Program for Improvement of Access and Quality of Basic Care (PMAQ-AB), in 2012, 2014, and 2018. The participation of the teams in school health activities increased throughout the three evaluation cycles, with the expansion of clinical evaluation, health promotion, and disease prevention actions. In cycle II, 24% of the teams performed the seven clinical evaluation actions, 18% performed the six promotion and prevention actions. However, 6.3% of the teams did not perform any clinical evaluation action and 8.8% did not perform health actions of promotion or prevention. In cycle III, more than 90% of the teams participated in the PSE, 84% of the health teams reported a combined planning for actions in schools, and more than 60% of the teams held joint meetings with the schools. PSE was institutionalized in all regions of the country, being more developed in municipalities with 10,000 to 30,000 inhabitants, lower Municipal Human Development Index (HDI-M) level, and greater coverage of the Family Health Strategy (FHS). Despite the positive evolution, the predominance of clinical evaluation actions in relation to health promotion actions and the proportion of teams that still have limitations in the combined efforts between health and education suggest a certain distancing from the PSE guidelines. To advance the implementation of the PSE, it is necessary to train health and education professionals; deepen intersectoral connection; expand the implementation of information and communication technologies; and maintain policies that allow the evaluation of the PSE, in order to support its development.