Pharmacist contributions for basic care from the perspective of professionals of familial health care teams

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the social representations of professionals included in the team of Family Health Strategy (physicians, nurses and dentists) respecting the action possibilities and contributions of the pharmacist for the basic care, and based on social psychology and, particularly, on the theory of social representations. The epistemological basis of the research is qualitative, and the data were collected by means of individual semi-structured interviews, which were submitted to analysis of categorical thematic content. Apparently, the majority of professionals already inserted in the team know and recognize the importance of professional pharmacists in the basic care, as well as their potential contribution to this topic. The representations were constructed according to the following parameters: a) the study object and the intervention area, b) the individual practice of every professional and c) his/her action in specific cases. The quality of the professional or personal experience concerning the action of these professionals has contributed for the knowledge about the possibilities of pharmacists' intervention in basic care.