Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the SPICES (S: student centred; P: problem-based learning; I: integration; C: community based/hospital based; E: electives; and S: systematic apprenticeship based) model of medical curriculum was proposed by Harden, most medical schools worldwide have introduced curriculum changes toward a paradigm shift in teaching and learning. Walter Sisulu University (WSU) introduced such changes in 1992 when problem-based learning (PBL) was implemented in the medical school. This research assignment examines the level of horizontal integration within the WSU Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB III) programme. The purpose of the study was to determine the students’ and tutors’ perceptions of integration in the curriculum. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was designed and piloted in 2009 and the questionnaire was then administered to MBChB III students who agreed to form part of the study. The tutors’ opinions on integration were also explored. A questionnaire on integration using a five-point Likert scale, was administered to both the students (12 questions) and the tutors (six questions). Six open-ended questions on integration were added to the students’ instrument and one to the tutors’ instrument, for qualitative analysis and to assist in triangulation. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the tutors individually. As a result of the survey, it seemed that all the students were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the level of integration of content and learning. All the tutors were aware of the need for integration, but some were not familiar with how the learning environment could be modified to enhance students’ approach to integration. MBChB III students at WSU highly valued the integration of learning and teaching during tutorials. Thirty-three per cent of the tutors, though, believed that integration increased their workload. All the tutors thought that integration facilitated students’ learning skills and promoted student engagement, learning and interaction with faculty. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert Harden die SPICES-model as mediese kurrikulum voorgestel het, het die meeste mediese skole in die wêreld kurrikulumveranderings ingevoer as ʼn paradigmaskuif in onderrig en leer. (S – studentgesentreerde; P – problemgebaseerde leer; I – integrasie; C – gemeenskaps-/hospitaalgebaseer; E– keusevakke; en S – gebaseer op sistematiese vakleerlingskap.) Die Walter Sisulu-universiteit (WSU) het in 1992 sulke veranderings aangebring toe probleemgebaseerde leer (PBL) in die mediese skool geïmplementeer is. Hierdie navorsingswerkstuk ondersoek die mate van integrasie in die Baccalaureus in Geneeskunde-program en Baccalaureus in Chirurgie-program (MBChB III) aan die WSU verder as die PBL-tutoriale kan vorder. Die doel van die studie was om te bepaal wat studente en studieleiers se persepsies oor die integrasie van die kurrikulum is. ʼn Beskrywende deursnee-opname is in 2009 opgestel en ’n loodsstudie is gedoen. Die opname is weer gebruik met MBChB III-studente wat ingestem het om aan die studie deel te neem. Studieleiers se menings oor integrasie is ook ondersoek. ʼn Vraelys oor integrasie volgens 'n vyfpunt Likert-skaal, is aan die studente (12 vrae) sowel as die studieleiers (ses vrae) gestel. Ses oop vrae oor integrasie is by die studente se instrument gevoeg en een by die vraelys vir die studieleiers ter wille van kwalitatiewe ontleding en triangulasie. Daarbenewens is ʼn semigestruktureerde onderhoud met elke studieleier individueel gevoer. Na afloop van die toepassing en ontleding van die opname was al die studente “tevrede” of “baie tevrede” met die vlak van integrasie van leer, met begrip en met die vlak van integrasie van inhoud. Al die studieleiers was bewus van die behoefte aan integrasie, maar sommige was nie vertroud met hoe die leeromgewing aangepas kan word om die studente se benadering tot integrasie te bevorder nie. MBChB III-studente aan die WSU het 'n hoë waarde geheg aan die integrasie van leer en onderrig tydens tutoriale. Drie-en-dertig persent van die studieleiers het egter geglo dat integrasie hulle werkslading verhoog. Al die studieleiers was van mening dat integrasie die studente se leervaardighede fasiliteer en die studente se deelname, leer en interaksie met akademiese personeel bevorder.

<b>Introduction:</b> Health-related websites have developed to be much more than information sites: they are used to exchange experiences and find support as well as information and advice. It is important that health professionals and website developers understand how content may impact users. This thesis documents the development and application of a tool to measure the impact of using health-related websites which contain experiential and/or factual information. <b>Methods:</b> A multi-method study with five stages. Stage 1: Questionnaire items based upon themes relating to the impact of using health-related websites were constructed following qualitative secondary analysis of 93 interviews relating to patient and carer experiences of health and a recent literature review. Items were assessed by an expert panel. Stage 2: Cognitive interviews were carried out to confirm acceptability of items. Stage 3: Item reduction steps were used to reduce the number of items. Stage 4: The validity and reliability of the remaining items were tested using traditional and modern psychometric methods. Stage 5: The new questionnaire was piloted in a randomised controlled trial. <b>Results:</b> Eighty-two items were constructed according to the key themes identified in Stage 1. Following expert and patient refinement, two independent item pools entered psychometric testing. The first item pool related to general views of using the internet in relation to health and the second item pool related to the impact of using a specific health-related website. Sub-scales and summary scores were found to have high construct validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The questionnaire showed high completion rates and low counts of missing data in a trial setting. <b>Conclusion:</b> Analysis confirmed good psychometric properties in the eHIQ-Part 1 (11 items) and the eHIQ-Part 2 (26 items). Preliminary findings of trial data demonstrate the acceptability and feasibility of including the eHIQ in randomised controlled trials. This tool will enable the measurement of the impact of health-related websites containing various styles of information and support across a range conditions and facilitate their accurate evaluation in clinical trials.

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 41-45-Xx).

Background: Efficient national health research systems (NHRS) generate knowledge to improve health outcomes while accounting for local health system specificities. African NHRS have a limited capacity to generate such knowledge; and rely on global or external sources of evidence which require adaptation. However, systematic, timely and comprehensive identification of local evidence needed for adaptation is challenging. Thus, the objectives of this study are to develop a centralized database of health research from Cameroon and test its applicability for informing future research production and use. Methods: We used an evidence mapping design. From October 2018 to May 2019, we searched 10 electronic databases and hand searched the archives of non-indexed African and Cameroonian journals. We screened titles, abstracts, and full texts based on these criteria: peer reviewed journal articles; published between 1999 and 2019; in English or French; investigating health-related outcomes in Cameroon. We extracted relevant study characteristics using a pre-established guide. We developed a coding scheme to label studies and ease searches on the database. Studies were coded independently by two reviewers and discrepancies resolved by consensus. We used the database to create evidence maps and identify knowledge gaps on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) priorities. Results: We included 4384 studies. Most were open access (76.3%); published in English (79.7%); conducted in the Centre region (45%) with an observational design (71.6%). The domains with the highest frequency were medical specialties (89.0%), and diseases (80.4%). The most researched specialty, diseases and population were infectiology, infectious diseases, and children respectively. Our gap maps revealed: (1) geographic and demographic disparities in the local evidence on adolescents’ contraceptive use (2) gaps in the type of local evidence needed for contextualisation and policymaking on obstetric fistula. Conclusion: Local evidence mapping and gap analysis can contribute to improving national research production and use in decision-making. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / National health research systems answer questions about individuals’ health and the health care system they use. To do this, it is important to determine what we already know, which questions have not been answered and where resources should be directed in the future. Cameroon’s health research system needs to improve its research production capacity. It needs to produce answers which can be used to improve the health of Cameroonians and the decisions which are made about their health care system. As a first step towards achieving these goals, we created a database of health research from Cameroon. We used the database to create maps of what we know and don’t know about health topics such as adolescents’ use of contraception. We also made recommendations for future research in this field. The database will be useful for researchers, students, health professionals, funders and stakeholders involved with health research in Cameroon

Introdução: A análise do uso de serviços de saúde é fundamental para o planejamento sanitário e tem grande contribuição dos inquéritos de saúde de base populacional, com destaque ao ISA CAPITAL, no Município de São Paulo (MSP). Os inquéritos provem informações privilegiadas para a compreensão das mudanças epidemiológicas e organização dos serviços de saúde, principalmente quando se reconhece o posicionamento da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) como eixo central organizador do sistema. A expansão da Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF), no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) nos estado e município de São Paulo, devido às terceirizações da gestão da saúde, por meio de Organizações Sociais de Saúde (OSS), evidencia, neste sentido, o fundamental papel regulatório do Estado. Objetivo: Descrever o uso de serviços de saúde no município de São Paulo e analisar os fatores associados. Método: Foram utilizados dados do ISA CAPITAL 2015, inquérito de saúde de base populacional, de corte transversal, com amostra representativa do Município de São Paulo (MSP). A análise foi realizada em função dos indicadores de utilização dos serviços e sua tipologia foi apresentada em quadro de prevalências de eventos por 1.000 pessoas por mês e comparada com estudos de \"Ecologia do cuidado\". A análise estatística consistiu em modelos de regressão logística multivariados para avaliar fatores associados ao desfecho de utilização de algum serviço de saúde nos 30 dias anteriores a entrevistas e estratificado por faixa etária. Resultados: Os fatores sociodemográficos estudados, sexo, faixa etária, situação conjugal, raça ou cor de pele, escolaridade, situação de trabalho e posse de plano de saúde são associados à prevalência de doenças crônicas, e apenas raça ou cor de pele não estiveram também associados à autoavaliação de saúde. O uso de serviços de saúde nos últimos 30 dias foi de 31,4%, sendo os serviços mais utilizados consultórios ou clínicas e UBS. O tipo de serviço utilizado foi associado à posse de plano de saúde e ao tipo de atendimento e há uma tendência de utilização do tipo de serviço habitual. A tipologia de uso de serviços de saúde no MSP teve diferenças constatadas com outros países e cidades por influência da organização do sistema de saúde e fatores socioculturais. Foi associado ao uso de serviços de saúde: sexo feminino, ser idoso, posse de plano de saúde, autoavaliação da saúde como \'ruim\' e possuir alguma doença crônica, em concordância com achados da literatura. Na estratificação por faixa etária o único fator que persiste em todas as faixas estudadas foi possuir alguma doença crônica. Conclusões: O fortalecimento do SUS no MSP com a aposta na APS, como organizadora do sistema, precisa considerar a coexistência de serviços públicos e privados, bem como a alta prevalência de doenças crônicas. Tais fatores determinam diferentes tipologias de uso de serviços de saúde e, portanto, devem ser levados em consideração para o planejamento em saúde em geral, para os marcos regulatórios das OSS e para a distribuição de serviços. / Introduction: The analysis of health services utilization is fundamental for health planning and for this, has great contribution of population-based health surveys, with emphasis in the city of São Paulo on the ISA-CAPITAL study. Population-based surveys provide privileged information for understanding the epidemiological changes and organization of health services, especially when the Primary Health Care (PHC) is recognized as the organizing axis of the system. The expansion of the Family Health Strategy (FHS), in the Unified Health System (UHS) in the state and municipality of São Paulo occurred by outsourcing the management of health services through Social Health Organizations (SHO) and in this context is prominent the regulatory role of the State. Objective: To describe the use of health services in the city of São Paulo and to analyze the associated factors. Method: Data was provided from ISA CAPITAL 2015, a population-based health survey representative of the municipality of São Paulo. The descriptive analysis was performed according to the indicators of service utilization and its typology was presented in a table of prevalence of events per 1000 people per month and compared with studies of \"Ecology of Care\". Statistical analysis consisted of multivariate logistic regression models to evaluate factors associated with the outcome of use of any health service in the 30 days prior to interviews and stratified by age group. Results: The sociodemographic factors studied, gender, age, marital status, race or color of skin, schooling, work situation and health insurance coverage are associated with the prevalence of chronic diseases and only race or skin color was not associated health self-assessment. The use of health services in the last 30 days was 31.4%, with the most used services being clinics and primary care centers. The type of service used was associated with health plan ownership and type of care and there is a tendency to search for the usual type of service. The typology of the use of health services in São Paulo has had differences with other countries and cities due to the influence of the organization of the health system and socio-cultural factors. It was associated with the use of health services: female sex, being elderly, coverage of health insurance, poor self-rated health and chronic illness, in agreement with findings from the literature. In stratification by age group the only factor that persists in all the studied groups was chronic diseases. Conclusions: The strengthening of UHS in São Paulo with focus on PHC as the organizing axis of the health system needs to consider the coexistence of public and private services and the high prevalence of chronic diseases. These factors determine different typologies of health services utilization and therefore should be considered for SHO regulatory frameworks and for the distribution of health services.

A operacionalização dos programas de controle da TB (PCT) no contexto municipal implica no reconhecimento de suas diversas peculiaridades, os quais podem auxiliar na compreensão dos fatores envolvidos no alcance das metas estabelecidas pelas políticas em TB. Trata-se de um estudo ecológico, de caráter descritivo-exploratório, cujo objetivo foi de avaliar o desempenho do PCT em municípios do Estado de São Paulo (ESP) no ano de 2010. Foram inclusos no estudo municípios com mais de 20.000 habitantes e no mínimo 5 casos novos confirmados de TB, fora do sistema prisional, residentes e notificados no ano de estudo. A análise dos dados foi realizada em 3 etapas, a saber: verificação da completude dos dados obtidos no Sistema de Notificação e Acompanhamento de Casos de TB (TBWEB), construção de indicadores operacionais a partir dos dados com completude entre regular e satisfatória, e aplicação de técnicas de análise multivariada. Utilizou-se a análise de agrupamento (AA) para identificar os municípios com perfis semelhantes em relação ao desempenho no controle da TB segundo os indicadores operacionais, e, a partir dos grupos criados, foi utilizada análise de correspondência múltipla (ACM) para verificar a associação destes com características demográficas (localização e porte populacional), aspectos relacionados à situação epidemiológica da TB e aids (priorização, taxas de incidência, porcentagem de co-infecção) e de serviços de saúde (cobertura de PACS e ESF) dos municípios de estudo. A base de dados utilizados para o estudo obteve uma boa avaliação em relação à completude na maioria das variáveis consideradas. Foram identificados três grupos de desempenho: o de desempenho insatisfatório, composto por 63 municípios (32,3%), apresentando a menor taxa de cura e a maior taxa de abandono, acompanhado da menor proporção de pacientes indicados ao tratamento diretamente observado (TDO) e uma efetivação da supervisão ainda mais baixa; além de menor realização de testagem HIV e menor proporção de comunicantes examinados dentre os identificados. Este grupo esteve associado a alta co-infecção de TBHIV, baixas taxas de incidência de TB e média taxa de TB pulmonar bacilífera, e localizados na região do interior, com maior cobertura de ESF/PACS. O grupo satisfatório, composto por 89 municípios (45,6%), apresentou a maior proporção de indicação e efetivação do TDO, com os melhores indicadores de desfecho em relação aos demais grupos e com as maiores proporções de testagem de HIV e de avaliação de contatos. O grupo de desempenho regular, composto por 43 municípios (22,1%), esteve identificado por uma menor indicação de TDO entre os casos novos e a menor efetivação, indicadores de desfecho e em relação aos exames de HIV e avaliação dos comunicantes próximos ao do grupo satisfatório. Estes dois grupos estiveram associados a municípios com taxas altas e médias de incidência de aids e uma co-infecção TBHIV moderada, uma alta incidência de TB e TB pulmonar bacilífera, e localizados na região metropolitana e do litoral, com menor cobertura de ESF/PACS. Os coordenadores do PCT precisam lançar mão de um domínio técnico, administrativo, mas também político e negociador, de forma a negociar com a macro- gestão e oferecer os melhores recursos para a micro-gestão executar as atividades previstas / The implementation of TB control programs (TCP) in the municipal context demands the recognition of its many peculiarities, which may help to understand the factors involved in achieving the goals set by TB policies. This is an ecological study, descriptive and exploratory, whose objectives were to evaluate the performance of TCPs in cities of São Paulo state (SP) in 2010. We included in the study municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants and minimum 5 confirmed TB cases, out of the prison system, residents and reported in the year of study. Data analysis was carried out in three stages, namely: verification of the data completeness obtained in the local reporting TB system (TBWEB), calculation of operational indicators from data which presented regular to satisfactory completeness and application of multivariate analysis techniques. We used cluster analysis (CA) to identify municipalities with similar profiles regarding the TB control performance according to the operational indicators, and, from the identified groups, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was used to verify their association with demographic characteristics, issues related to health systems and epidemiological situation of TB and AIDS. The database used for the study presented a good completeness evaluation in most of the variables considered. Regarding the formation of groups and their association with epidemiological, demographic and health services characteristics, we identified 3 groups: a poor performance group composed of 63 municipalities (32.3%), with the lowest cure rate and a highest dropout rate, a lower proportion of patients referred to DOT followed by a lower proportion of supervision, and lower performance of HIV testing and few examined contacts among those identified. MCA identified an association between this group and high co- infection TBHIV, low to medium TB incidence and located in the countryside, with higher coverage of health family-based strategies. The satisfactory group composed of 89 municipalities (45.6%) had the highest proportion of patients DOT indication and completion, with the best outcome indicators and the highest HIV testing proportions and contacts evaluation. The regular performance group was composed of 43 municipalities (22.1%) and was identified by a lower DOT indication and completion, however, with outcome indicators and HIV testing and contacts evaluation closer to the satisfactory group. These two groups were associated with cities with high TB incidence and medium AIDS incidence and a moderate TBHIV co-infection, located in the metropolitan area and the coast, with lower coverage of health family-based strategies.. The TCP coordinators need to use technical, administrative, and political abilities, in order to negotiate with the macro-management and provide the best resources for micro-management implement the planned activities

Introdução: A análise do uso de serviços de saúde é fundamental para o planejamento sanitário e tem grande contribuição dos inquéritos de saúde de base populacional, com destaque ao ISA CAPITAL, no Município de São Paulo (MSP). Os inquéritos provem informações privilegiadas para a compreensão das mudanças epidemiológicas e organização dos serviços de saúde, principalmente quando se reconhece o posicionamento da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) como eixo central organizador do sistema. A expansão da Estratégia de Saúde da Família (ESF), no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) nos estado e município de São Paulo, devido às terceirizações da gestão da saúde, por meio de Organizações Sociais de Saúde (OSS), evidencia, neste sentido, o fundamental papel regulatório do Estado. Objetivo: Descrever o uso de serviços de saúde no município de São Paulo e analisar os fatores associados. Método: Foram utilizados dados do ISA CAPITAL 2015, inquérito de saúde de base populacional, de corte transversal, com amostra representativa do Município de São Paulo (MSP). A análise foi realizada em função dos indicadores de utilização dos serviços e sua tipologia foi apresentada em quadro de prevalências de eventos por 1.000 pessoas por mês e comparada com estudos de \"Ecologia do cuidado\". A análise estatística consistiu em modelos de regressão logística multivariados para avaliar fatores associados ao desfecho de utilização de algum serviço de saúde nos 30 dias anteriores a entrevistas e estratificado por faixa etária. Resultados: Os fatores sociodemográficos estudados, sexo, faixa etária, situação conjugal, raça ou cor de pele, escolaridade, situação de trabalho e posse de plano de saúde são associados à prevalência de doenças crônicas, e apenas raça ou cor de pele não estiveram também associados à autoavaliação de saúde. O uso de serviços de saúde nos últimos 30 dias foi de 31,4%, sendo os serviços mais utilizados consultórios ou clínicas e UBS. O tipo de serviço utilizado foi associado à posse de plano de saúde e ao tipo de atendimento e há uma tendência de utilização do tipo de serviço habitual. A tipologia de uso de serviços de saúde no MSP teve diferenças constatadas com outros países e cidades por influência da organização do sistema de saúde e fatores socioculturais. Foi associado ao uso de serviços de saúde: sexo feminino, ser idoso, posse de plano de saúde, autoavaliação da saúde como \'ruim\' e possuir alguma doença crônica, em concordância com achados da literatura. Na estratificação por faixa etária o único fator que persiste em todas as faixas estudadas foi possuir alguma doença crônica. Conclusões: O fortalecimento do SUS no MSP com a aposta na APS, como organizadora do sistema, precisa considerar a coexistência de serviços públicos e privados, bem como a alta prevalência de doenças crônicas. Tais fatores determinam diferentes tipologias de uso de serviços de saúde e, portanto, devem ser levados em consideração para o planejamento em saúde em geral, para os marcos regulatórios das OSS e para a distribuição de serviços. / Introduction: The analysis of health services utilization is fundamental for health planning and for this, has great contribution of population-based health surveys, with emphasis in the city of São Paulo on the ISA-CAPITAL study. Population-based surveys provide privileged information for understanding the epidemiological changes and organization of health services, especially when the Primary Health Care (PHC) is recognized as the organizing axis of the system. The expansion of the Family Health Strategy (FHS), in the Unified Health System (UHS) in the state and municipality of São Paulo occurred by outsourcing the management of health services through Social Health Organizations (SHO) and in this context is prominent the regulatory role of the State. Objective: To describe the use of health services in the city of São Paulo and to analyze the associated factors. Method: Data was provided from ISA CAPITAL 2015, a population-based health survey representative of the municipality of São Paulo. The descriptive analysis was performed according to the indicators of service utilization and its typology was presented in a table of prevalence of events per 1000 people per month and compared with studies of \"Ecology of Care\". Statistical analysis consisted of multivariate logistic regression models to evaluate factors associated with the outcome of use of any health service in the 30 days prior to interviews and stratified by age group. Results: The sociodemographic factors studied, gender, age, marital status, race or color of skin, schooling, work situation and health insurance coverage are associated with the prevalence of chronic diseases and only race or skin color was not associated health self-assessment. The use of health services in the last 30 days was 31.4%, with the most used services being clinics and primary care centers. The type of service used was associated with health plan ownership and type of care and there is a tendency to search for the usual type of service. The typology of the use of health services in São Paulo has had differences with other countries and cities due to the influence of the organization of the health system and socio-cultural factors. It was associated with the use of health services: female sex, being elderly, coverage of health insurance, poor self-rated health and chronic illness, in agreement with findings from the literature. In stratification by age group the only factor that persists in all the studied groups was chronic diseases. Conclusions: The strengthening of UHS in São Paulo with focus on PHC as the organizing axis of the health system needs to consider the coexistence of public and private services and the high prevalence of chronic diseases. These factors determine different typologies of health services utilization and therefore should be considered for SHO regulatory frameworks and for the distribution of health services.

Submitted by Rosina Valeria Lanzellotti Mattiussi Teixeira (rosina.teixeira@unisantos.br) on 2015-05-04T13:10:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Lucelia Santos Sousa.pdf: 1802853 bytes, checksum: 5f73241cf5abecbf85034a03af7609d3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-04T13:10:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lucelia Santos Sousa.pdf: 1802853 bytes, checksum: 5f73241cf5abecbf85034a03af7609d3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-10-02 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Million people around the world are affected by mental health problems and they aren¿t assisted as expected. Studies show relevant points about mental health care in the primary assistance. Some of these studies talk about the Family Health Program, but in special the job of the community health worker as an important and meaningful strategy in the assistance to the mental disordered patients and its family. However, the lack of preparation of these professionals in dealing with situations related to mental health is remarkable. Starting from this approach the following task comes from an interest in contributing to a reflection about the necessary support that the community workers need to cooperate in the assistance to the community patients with mental health problems. The study aims to understand the vision of the community workers about mental health problems. This is about the qualitative research methods composed by traditional research techniques of anthropology: dense ethnographic observation and depth interviews with 15 agents from a primary care unity of Praia Grande city in São Paulo. The field research was done from March to June 2011. The narratives of each agent interviewed make possible to identify the representation about mental health problems. A common aspect of the reports was noted, the trust relationship between the person with some mental problem and the community worker. Mental disorders are identified through the records of the family conversations held at home or in the clinic and through the relatives and neighbor¿s report. The concern about mental health problems is related to the bond established with her own family, with real cases in this activity area and with some courses made. The notion of mental health problem had many meanings, and there was a concern to not confuse them with crazy people. The reasons given mentioned an past or present event: stress, financial and life condition, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, family and genetic problems. Was concluded that community workers need information and specific training about mental health to face this situations in their daily work. Furthermore the relationship established between these people and the patients and their families to give subsidy to build interventions about mental health. / Milhares de pessoas no mundo inteiro são acometidas por problemas de saúde mental, as quais não recebem assistência em saúde de forma esperada. Neste sentido, estudos apontam pontos relevantes sobre o cuidado em saúde mental na atenção primária, entre eles, alguns ressaltam o Programa Saúde da Família, mais especificamente o trabalho do agente comunitário de saúde como estratégia importante e significativa para a assistência ao paciente com transtorno mental e sua família. No entanto, o despreparo desses trabalhadores em lhe dar com assuntos relacionados à saúde mental é fato constatado. Partindo dessa abordagem, o seguinte trabalho surge do interesse em contribuir para uma reflexão sobre o suporte necessário para que os agentes comunitários possam cooperar na assistência a pessoas com problema de saúde mental na comunidade. Com o presente estudo, objetiva-se compreender a visão dos agentes comunitários sobre os problemas de saúde mental. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa composta por métodos e técnicas de pesquisa tradicional da Antropologia: a observação etnográfica densa e entrevistas em profundidade com 15 agentes de uma unidade básica de saúde do município de Praia Grande, São Paulo. A pesquisa em campo foi realizada no período de março a junho de 2011. As narrativas de cada agente entrevistado permitiram, sobretudo, identificar suas representações acerca do componente problema de saúde mental. Como aspecto comum dos relatos, foi observada a relação de confiança presente entre a pessoa portadora de algum problema mental e o agente comunitário. A forma como identificam transtornos mentais são através do cadastro da família, conversa realizada em domicílio ou na unidade de saúde, observação e através dos relatos de parentes e vizinhos. A percepção sobre os problemas de saúde mental está relacionada ao vínculo estabelecido com a própria família, com os casos existentes em sua área de atuação e com cursos realizados. A noção de problema de saúde mental teve significados diversos, sendo que houve a preocupação em não confundi-las com a pessoa louca. As causas indicadas fizeram menção a um evento passado ou atual da vida: o stress, a condição financeira e de vida, o uso abusivo do álcool, o consumo de drogas, problemas familiares e genéticos. Foi possível concluir que os agentes comunitários necessitam de informação e treinamento específico sobre saúde mental para enfrentar situações presentes no seu cotidiano de trabalho. Além disso, a relação que se estabelece entre esses sujeitos e os pacientes e suas famílias dá subsídio para a construção de intervenções acerca da saúde mental.

Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 228-234).

Os atributos da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) são reconhecidos como eixos estruturantes do processo de APS e associados à qualidade dos serviços. O instrumento PCATool (Primary Care Assessment Tool) permite a mensuração da extensão destes atributos através da experiência dos usuários. Objetivo: Avaliar a qualidade da atenção nos diferentes serviços de APS existentes em Porto Alegre. Método: Estudo transversal de base populacional em adultos adscritos à rede pública de APS (Unidade Básica de Saúde, Estratégia Saúde da Família, Murialdo, Serviço de Saúde do Conceição) e usuários da Caixa de Assistência dos Funcionários do Banco do Brasil, desenhado com amostragem complexa e analisado com método de Linearização de Taylor. Resultados: observaram-se diferenças significativas entre os escores da APS para os diferentes serviços (Escore Geral com P < 0,05 em relação às UBS). Presença de co-morbidades (RP 1,46 - P=0,005), utilização da ESF (RP=2,52) e GHC (RP=5,11) como serviço preferencial estão associadas à forte orientação à APS (P<0,001). Conclusão: A maior orientação à APS presente na ESF justifica a sua escolha como modelo de expansão e qualificação da APS em Porto Alegre. / The attributes of Primary Health Care (PHC) are recognized as structural axis of the PHC and they are associated to the quality of the services. The Instrument PCATool (Primary Care Assessment Tool) allows the measurement of the extension of these attributes through the experience and contact with users. Goals - Evaluate the quality of health care in different services of PHC in Porto Alegre city. Method –Cross-sectional study with adult users of the PHC services (Basic Health Service-UBS, Family Health Stategy-ESF,Murialdo-CSEM, Health,Service Conceição-GHC) and users of Caixa de Assistência dos Funcionários do Banco do Brasil –CASSI, with complex sample and analysed with method Taylor Linearized. Results - We observed statistically significant differences of scores among different services of PHC (Global Scores P < 0,05 compared with Traditional Basic Health Service). Presence of co-morbities (RP=1,46 – P <0,001) and utilization of ESF (RP=2,52) and GHC (RP=5,11) as the preferential service are associated with a strong PHC orientation (P <0,001). Conclusions – ESF’s highest score for PHC justifies the choice of this model for expansion and qualification of PHC in Porto Alegre. / Telemedicina