Basic Family Health Unit Research Articles

Characteristics of health assistance for Diabetes mellitus patients studied in pedregal II family health unit, Cuiabá, MT: reflections for the health team

Diabetes mellitus represents a serious public health problem presenting an increasing world incidence and impacts as achronic condition in the life of patients, their families and society. As a condition sensible to the work of primary health assistance, itsearly detection and a multicriteria follow-up by health professionals have a close relationship to quality of life and higher survival rates.This study aims to characterize patients with diabetes and to analyze their follow-up in Pedregal II Basic Family Health Unit of Cuiaba/MT, having as parameters some guidelines from the Notebook of Basic Assistance – Diabetes mellitus of the Health Ministry. The study isobservatory, exploratory and descriptive, and uses medical histories and Sishiperdia records. The population consisted of 45 subjects withdiabetes that were followed-up in the Unit from January to December 2009. In the qualification of the collected data one evidenced that98% were older than 45 years; 71% were women; and 82% were literate. Parameters such as abdominal circumference, and ocular fundusand feet exams were carried through in less than 12% of subjects. Lab exams as fast glycemia and glycated hemoglobin were uncommonrequests. Guidelines about smoking, physical activity and diet were not evaluated in consultations nor duly registered. Evaluation of medicalregistries and Sishiperdia records showed a very deficient follow-up procedure for diabetes patients in the studied population, pointingto the necessity of examining the effectiveness of registers and permanent education of health professionals responsible for assistance.

Saúde e adolescentes: possibilidades de violência simbólica

este artigo se propõe a analisar o tipo de relação que as Unidades de Saúde estabelecem com os adolescentes no município de Fortaleza, CE, na perspectiva da violência simbólica de Pierre Bourdieu. Para tanto, foram organizados seis grupos focais constituídos de profissionais das Unidades Básicas de Saúde da Família. O número de participantes variou de 10 a 15 pessoas. Os critérios de escolha das Unidades foram: aquelas que já realizaram algum projeto de promoção à saúde ou prevenção de doenças com adolescentes; que possuem profissionais que são reconhecidos por desenvolverem atendimento junto aos adolescentes. As falas do grupo foram anotadas e transcritas por um observador independente. O material coletado foi analisado de acordo com os critérios clássicos da análise de conteúdo. Os resultados mostraram que há uma descrença na implantação de políticas públicas para a saúde na adolescência e que a sustentabilidade de programas e projetos fica fragilizada pela ausência dessa estrutura de apoio às ações no cuidado aos adolescentes.

Referenciamento de usuários do SUS para um hospital universitário no sul do Brasil

The study aims to provide links between Health Basic Units and Hospital Service considering the reference as a way to propose the integrality of assistance by analyzing the entrance door of users of the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) (the Brazilian National Healthcare System). This is a descriptive study which has used a University Hospital in southern Brazil as a location in March and April of 2008. We interviewed 93 users who were hospitalised. These interviews were composed by closed questions. Results showed that 73.1% of the users were not referenced for the hospital level. The Family Health Basic Units (FHBU) submitted a reference bulletin or a similar document to 23.7% of the users. That shows an improvement in this kind of service comparing with the last five years. The conclusion is that the reference for the hospital level in Rio Grande/RS is not something consistent and that the Family Health strategy is helpful to the implementation of the system at a hospital level.

Implementação do diagnóstico da infecção pelo HIV para gestantes em Unidade Básica de Saúde da Família em Fortaleza, Ceará

Free access to prenatal care and HIV tests represent the first step in the prevention of vertical transmission and guarantees early prophylactic measures. This study aims at analyzing the coverage of HIV testing in pregnant women in a Basic Family Health Unit in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará. The theoretical-methodological basis of the study was the grounded theory, which proposes generation of theory from data derived from the social reality. Data were collected through participant observation, open interviews with physicians, nurses and pregnant women and in focal groups with pregnant women and health agents. The women faced institutional barriers to prenatal care and HIV testing. Difficulties in making the appointments for prenatal care hampered early identification of pregnant women and delayed their assistance. With respect to HIV testing, the study found that the Basic Health Unit does not collect the biologic material; there are few laboratories performing this kind of exam and those who do are very far from the pregnant women's residences. This study concludes that even in the Family Health Unit, the access to prenatal care for pregnant women remains difficult, and that the prevention of vertical HIV transmission depends on political, institutional and structural changes.

Conceptions held by health professionals on violence against children and adolescents within the family

The present study sought to understand the conceptions held by health professionals with regards to violence within the family against children and adolescents. Qualitative case-study methodology and techniques of participant observation, interviewing, and search in documents were used. Participants were staffed in a government-run Family Health Basic Unit in Brazil. Health professionals were found to associate violence with the economic, social, and political juncture and with cultural aspects; for some, violent acts are part of the intergenerational cycle and family dynamics. Physical punishment, considered as violence by some, is advocated as an educational measure by others. Participants also base their definition of violence on an a priori construction of subjects as either victims or aggressors, thus missing the relational dimension of the phenomenon. Health professionals were found to have difficulty in understanding violence in the context that gives it a meaning and to recognize it as consequence of a complex relational dynamics.

The pediatric doctor’s knowledge on oral health promotion in first infancy in family health basic units

Aiming to describe the knowledge pediatric doctors of two cities of Rio Grande do Sul State have concerning oral health infirst infancy, this exploratory-descriptive research was done which has a qualitative approach. It had as subjects five pediatric doctorsfrom two cities of Rio Grande do Sul State working in the Family Health Program. Data were collected in July 2006 by means of aquestionnaire with open questions. The analyzed contents were grouped in the following categories: 1) pediatric doctor’s knowledgeconcerning children oral health and 2) implementation of recommended actions by the pediatric doctor. The participants showed a basiclevel of knowledge on oral health in infancy, but the adopted behaviors not always were compatible with this knowledge, denotinginefficacious actions. The inadequacy of information given to parents and children suggests the necessity of a greater interaction ofdoctors with dental professionals.